He Beat Big Tobacco. Will the Same Playbook Work Against Meta and Social Media?

Mike Moore, instrumental in the 1998 tobacco master settlement, is now advising state attorneys general on a potential large-scale settlement with social media companies accused of harming youth. Meta has already agreed to a $17 billion settlement addressing child mental health damage, featuring changes like usage limits and enhanced age verification. While Moore sees parallels to the tobacco battle, the constantly evolving nature of technology and the blurry lines between harm and benefit pose significant challenges to a one-size-fits-all approach.

• Mike Moore, a key negotiator of the 1998 tobacco master settlement, is advising state attorneys general on a potential settlement with social media companies.
• Meta has agreed to a $17 billion settlement with states concerning child mental health damage caused by its platforms, including usage limits and enhanced age verification for teenagers.
• Moore sees similarities between the social media crisis and the tobacco fight, both involving accusations of fostering addiction and harming young people.
• Unlike tobacco, social media technology is rapidly evolving, making it harder to define harm and apply a consistent regulatory or settlement approach.
• The Attention Initiative, a nonprofit co-led by Moore, advocates for a permanent national public education fund to prevent youth addiction to social media.
• Experts and legal figures involved in past settlements acknowledge the challenges but believe broad resolutions are possible, though likely complex.
• The current Meta settlement is seen as a starting point, with attorneys general signaling expectations for similar outcomes from other tech companies.
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