About The Case

When Wagstaff & Cartmell agreed to serve as outside trial counsel for the State of Tennessee in its case against Meta Platforms, Inc., the goal was never just about winning a large financial judgment. It was about forcing a company to change how it builds products used by millions of kids every day.

That effort just helped produce one of the largest settlements in social media litigation history: $17.1 billion, paired with sweeping new child-safety requirements for Instagram and Facebook.

Here’s what happened, what it means for Tennessee families, and why the firm sees this as part of a much bigger fight.

A Trial in Nashville That Helped Change the Trajectory

Wagstaff & Cartmell served as outside trial counsel for the state of Tennessee in the closely watched case against Meta, playing a central role in the jury trial in Nashville that helped drive the multistate settlement now requiring Meta to pay up to $17.1 billion and roll out significant child-safety changes across its platforms.

The settlement resolves claims brought by 47 states, D.C., and three U.S. territories — making it one of the broadest coordinated actions ever taken against a major tech platform.

Tennessee’s share: approximately $751.9 million, with the state’s net recovery directed to its newly created Children’s Digital Protection Fund, which will support the mental health and safety of Tennessee kids.

Tom Cartmell, founding partner of Wagstaff & Cartmell, put the case in perspective:

“This case was never simply about obtaining a financial recovery. This case was always about what happens to kids when companies knowingly design products to keep kids engaged and increase profits at the expense of the kids’ well-being. The financial recovery is historic, but the changes Meta will be required to make are what can affect families for years to come.”

The Allegations at the Heart of the Case

Tennessee’s case centered on a straightforward but serious claim: that Meta designed Instagram with features meant to maximize engagement, while knowing those same features could contribute to real mental health harm in young users. The state also alleged Meta misrepresented — and failed to adequately warn parents and the public about — those risks.

The settlement came together in the sixth week of a jury trial in Davidson County Chancery Court, just days after Tennessee rested its case and defeated a motion for directed verdict. That trial, combined with a parallel federal case involving several other states, is what ultimately pushed the negotiations toward resolution.

Cartmell served as lead trial counsel and delivered the state’s opening statement, following introductory remarks from Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. Wagstaff & Cartmell partner Lindsey Scarcello served as second chair. In total, the firm’s trial team spent six weeks in Nashville — 13 lawyers and three paralegals, backed by additional support staff in both Tennessee and Kansas City.

It’s Not Just About the Money — Here’s What Changes for Kids

The financial recovery is significant, but the operational changes Meta is now required to make may end up being the more lasting impact. Under the settlement, Meta must implement:

• Daily time limits — A combined two-hour daily cap on Instagram and Facebook use for young users.
• Mandatory breaks — “Productive Pauses” built in after extended continuous use, designed to interrupt endless scrolling.
• Nighttime restrictions — Young users blocked from the platforms between midnight and 6 a.m.
• School-day protections — Push notifications restricted on weekdays during school hours.
• Stronger age verification — New measures aimed at more effectively identifying and verifying young users.
• Expanded parental controls — More accessible tools for parents to manage how their kids use the platforms.
• Limits on social comparison features — Restrictions on things like beauty filters and visible “like” counts, both linked to negative mental health effects in children and teens.
• Safer content controls — Strengthened protections around bullying, eating disorders, suicide, self-harm, and other content risks.
• Independent oversight — A third-party auditor will regularly evaluate whether these protections are actually being implemented and whether they’re working.

There’s also a built-in incentive for industry-wide change: if other major social platforms adopt comparable protections, Meta becomes subject to even stricter requirements, including tighter daily time limits that would remain in place long-term.

Part of a Larger Fight for Accountability

Wagstaff & Cartmell worked directly alongside the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office to build and present the state’s case — arguing that Meta’s engagement-driven design choices carried real, known risks for young users.

This case is one piece of the firm’s broader social media addiction litigation work nationwide. Wagstaff & Cartmell represents individuals, families, states, municipalities, school districts, and other public entities pursuing claims tied to addictive platform design and its impact on kids.

The firm’s trial team has also been active elsewhere: attorneys recently participated in a Los Angeles case where a jury found Instagram and YouTube negligently designed their platforms, awarding $6 million in compensatory and punitive damages to an individual plaintiff. Wagstaff & Cartmell continues to hold leadership roles in coordinated litigation against major social media platforms.

As Cartmell put it:

“For us, the Tennessee settlement represents a central goal of that larger effort: using litigation not only to obtain compensation for those harmed, but also to change corporate practices that affect children, families, schools, and communities.”

The broader social media litigation is ongoing, and Wagstaff & Cartmell continues pursuing cases involving allegations of addiction and other mental health harms tied to platform design.