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"There is very little chance that FB is required to be broken up, as we expect the FTC to lose the case."

"If the FTC is successful, Meta may be forced to divest two of its largest brands."

"If Meta is found guilty of violating antitrust laws, it could be forced to divest its subsidiaries or restructure the business."

The antitrust lawsuit against Facebook "could force it to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp."

"Meta could be forced to sell off IG and WhatsApp if the FTC wins the trial."

"Mark Zuckerberg might have to kiss Instagram and WhatsApp goodbye."

Will Meta Be Broken Up?

The U.S. tech giant Meta has lobbied U.S. lawmakers to include a provision granting it legal immunity from child-harm lawsuits in the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), according to a report published by Reuters on Thursday.

The U.S. tech giant Meta has lobbied U.S. lawmakers to include a provision granting it legal immunity from child-harm lawsuits in the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), according to a report published by Reuters on Thursday.

The proposal would make online platforms "immune from suit or liability under state law with respect to all claims ​for loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the safety or privacy of individuals under the age of eighteen online or otherwise related to the provisions" of KOSA.

The proposal would make online platforms "immune from suit or liability under state law with respect to all claims ​for loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the safety or privacy of individuals under the age of eighteen online or otherwise related to the provisions" of KOSA.

Speaking to the outlet, Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway claimed that the amendment "does not extinguish existing lawsuits, nor does it represent blanket immunity" but rather "establishes uniform national standards for online youth safety."

Speaking to the outlet, Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway claimed that the amendment "does not extinguish existing lawsuits, nor does it represent blanket immunity" but rather "establishes uniform national standards for online youth safety."

A source told Reuters that Meta proposed the provision in exchange for dropping its opposition to KOSA. It comes as the company lost <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2026/meta-youtube-lose-first-social-media-addiction-trial">a landmark addiction case alongside Google in Los Angeles in March</a> and was ordered to pay $4.2 million in damages for negligence.

A source told Reuters that Meta proposed the provision in exchange for dropping its opposition to KOSA. It comes as the company lost a landmark addiction case alongside Google in Los Angeles in March and was ordered to pay $4.2 million in damages for negligence.

The bill itself would require covered platforms to implement tools and safeguards to protect users and visitors under 17 and exercise reasonable care when designing and using features that increase their online activity to prevent harm, among other stipulations.

The bill itself would require covered platforms to implement tools and safeguards to protect users and visitors under 17 and exercise reasonable care when designing and using features that increase their online activity to prevent harm, among other stipulations.

KOSA was originally introduced in 2023 and passed the Senate in a 91-3 vote in July 2024, but failed to advance in the House. It was reintroduced in May 2025 with support from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

KOSA was originally introduced in 2023 and passed the Senate in a 91-3 vote in July 2024, but failed to advance in the House. It was reintroduced in May 2025 with support from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

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The proposal, as seen by Reuters, would make online platforms "immune from suit or liability under state law with respect to all claims ​for loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the safety or privacy of individuals under the age of eighteen online or otherwise related to the provisions" of KOSA.

The proposal, as seen by Reuters, would make online platforms "immune from suit or liability under state law with respect to all claims ​for loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the safety or privacy of individuals under the age of eighteen online or otherwise related to the provisions" of KOSA.

The bill itself, which the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would enforce, would require covered platforms to implement tools and safeguards to protect users and visitors under 17 and exercise reasonable care when designing and using features that increase their online activity to prevent harm, among other stipulations.

The bill itself, which the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would enforce, would require covered platforms to implement tools and safeguards to protect users and visitors under 17 and exercise reasonable care when designing and using features that increase their online activity to prevent harm, among other stipulations.

KOSA was originally introduced in 2023 and passed the Senate in a 91-3 vote in July 2024, but failed to advance in the House. It was reintroduced in May 2025 by senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn), with support from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

KOSA was originally introduced in 2023 and passed the Senate in a 91-3 vote in July 2024, but failed to advance in the House. It was reintroduced in May 2025 by senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn), with support from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Big Tech has spent years hooking kids on addictive platforms while ignoring the subsequent mental health crisis, with teen depression doubling between 2010 and 2019, and nearly a third of girls considering suicide in 2021. KOSA finally forces platforms to face accountability by requiring tech giants to put kids first with real safety defaults, parental controls and a duty of care.

Big Tech has spent years hooking kids on addictive platforms while ignoring the subsequent mental health crisis, with teen depression doubling between 2010 and 2019, and nearly a third of girls considering suicide in 2021. KOSA finally forces platforms to face accountability by requiring tech giants to put kids first with real safety defaults, parental controls and a duty of care.

If passed, KOSA would hand the FTC and the state a vague regulatory hammer that will inevitably pressure platforms to censor constitutionally protected speech far beyond actual harm. In doing so, it would gut some of the most core aspects of American democracy since the Founding era, while offering virtually no meaningful protection for children online.

If passed, KOSA would hand the FTC and the state a vague regulatory hammer that will inevitably pressure platforms to censor constitutionally protected speech far beyond actual harm. In doing so, it would gut some of the most core aspects of American democracy since the Founding era, while offering virtually no meaningful protection for children online.

The Anxious Generation

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Meta Seeks Immunity in Kids Online Safety Act

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If passed, KOSA would hand the FTC and the state a vague regulatory hammer that will inevitably pressure platforms to censor constitutionally protected speech far beyond actual harm. It would gut some of the core aspects of American democracy, while offering virtually no meaningful protection for children online.

If passed, KOSA would hand the FTC and the state a vague regulatory hammer that will inevitably pressure platforms to censor constitutionally protected speech far beyond actual harm. It would gut some of the core aspects of American democracy, while offering virtually no meaningful protection for children online.

There's a 19% chance that the EU will require mandatory age verification on social media or AI before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 19% chance that the EU will require mandatory age verification on social media or AI before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

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