Tennessee Teens Weigh In on Meta Settlement

Teens in the Chattanooga area offered input on how nearly $752 million in settlement money should support young people's online well-being.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Teens

Tennessee Teens Weigh In on Meta Settlement

Live Poll

Should Tennessee use Meta settlement money to protect kids online?

Chattanooga-area teenagers gave input on how Tennessee should spend nearly $752 million from a settlement involving Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. More than 100 teens took part in an interactive poll on Thursday evening, which asked about their online time, how social media affects their mental health, and what resources they want in their communities.

Why it matters

The state is preparing to direct settlement money toward its Children's Digital Protection Fund, which is intended to address children's online safety and well-being. The lawsuit accused Meta of designing social media features that negatively affect children's mental health, so decisions about how this money is spent could shape the support available to young people in Tennessee.

The figures come from an interactive poll of more than 100 Chattanooga-area teenagers, which is a small local sample rather than a statewide survey. The poll results and final allocation of the settlement funds were not included in the source, so how the teen feedback will influence spending remains unknown.

The players

The details

The poll asked participants how much time they spend online, how social media affects their mental health, and what resources they want in their communities. Organizers gathered this teen feedback to inform state leaders as they decide how to spend the settlement money. The lawsuit's central claim is that Meta designed social media features that negatively affect children's mental health, and the settlement funds are expected to support Tennessee's Children's Digital Protection Fund.

Thursday evening (November 5, 2026): Teenagers took part in the interactive poll on settlement spending.

Youth Digital Wellbeing

The settlement money is headed to Tennessee's Children's Digital Protection Fund, which is designed to address children's online safety and well-being. Teen input gathered in Chattanooga is one of the ways state leaders are considering how that fund should be shaped.

Parents and caregivers of teens may find it useful to talk with young people about how much time they spend online and how social media affects their mood and mental health. If you have concerns about a teen's mental well-being, it is worth discussing with your child's doctor or a mental health professional.

The takeaway

Teen perspectives are now being asked for directly as Tennessee decides how to use settlement money tied to children's online well-being. Families can keep an open conversation going at home about screen time and how social media feels to young people.