The settlement, which could cost up to $17 billion, was reached with a coalition of states that allege Facebook and Instagram’s design tricks harm children. Meta says it did not admit any wrongdoing.

In a widely‑watched documentary, Turkish filmmaker Ruhi Çenet visits Hasidic neighborhoods in New York and shows families using “kosher” phones that cannot send text messages, browse the web, or run social‑media apps, highlighting a very strict approach to technology.

At the same time, California’s Catholic bishops have publicly supported AB 1709, a bill that would stop platforms from offering addictive features to users younger than 16, even though the proposal has not yet become law.

The U.S. Surgeon General now describes the health effects of screen use among children as a public‑health issue. A 2026 Pediatrics study of 10,588 American children found that owning a smartphone at age 12 was linked to higher chances of depression, obesity and not getting enough sleep.

Across the country, schools are experimenting with phone‑free classrooms, parents are keeping devices out of bedrooms, and many families are using parental controls, delayed‑phone rules, and night‑time notification blocks as part of a growing “digital‑wellness” movement.

These examples show that intentional limits—whether rooted in religious tradition or modern policy—can give children space to be less dependent on screens, suggesting that societies can combine old‑world caution with new‑world regulation to protect young people from digital addiction.