Meta's $18 Billion Settlement Won't Fix Your Kids, But You Can Thanks to Scripture
$18 billion is a lot of money, even for Meta.
On Aug. 26, Meta agreed to settlements totaling up to roughly $18 billion to resolve lawsuits alleging that Facebook and Instagram harmed children through addictive platform features and other practices. Meta denied wrongdoing but agreed to significant changes aimed at protecting younger users.
It sounds like an enormous penalty—and it is.
But consider this: Meta generated nearly $201 billion in revenue and more than $60 billion in net income in 2025.
So while $18 billion certainly matters, money alone won’t solve what is happening to our kids. And that’s the point parents cannot afford to miss.
I support laws that protect children. Powerful technology companies should be held accountable when they break the law or exploit vulnerabilities in young people.
But Meta’s $18 billion settlement won’t fix your kids. Why?
Because the deeper issue isn’t simply what technology companies are putting in front of our children.
It’s what parents are putting into them.
Our Kids Are Being Discipled
Pew Research Center reported that 40 percent of American teenagers say they are online almost constantly. A decade earlier, that number was just 24 percent.
Think about that.
For millions of kids, the digital world isn’t somewhere they occasionally visit. It is an environment they inhabit.
And whatever repeatedly captures your child’s attention eventually gains an opportunity to shape your child’s heart.
Our children aren’t simply being entertained digitally.
They are being discipled digitally.
Christian parents should recognize that God has given us the primary responsibility for forming our children’s hearts.
Paul writes: “Fathers … bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 tells parents to diligently teach God’s truth to their children throughout the rhythms of everyday life.
So maybe our biggest question shouldn’t simply be, “What do I need to take away from my kids?” We should also ask, “What am I putting into them?”
I’m not anti-technology. I use it every day. But technology is no substitute for the real thing.
A “like” cannot replace love. A follower cannot replace a father. An influencer cannot replace a mother. And an algorithm cannot replace the Word of God.
The Christian life isn’t merely about abstaining from the wrong things. It is about abiding in Christ.
Jesus said, “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit” (John 15:5).
Parents, set boundaries. Know what your children watch. Put the phones away. Create screen-free time. But don’t confuse restriction with relationship.
Read Scripture together. Pray together. Eat together. Ask questions. Listen. Worship together. Serve together.
Most importantly, point them to Jesus.
Your children need more than protection from a screen. They need your presence. They need your heart. They need God’s truth. And they need to see Jesus in you.
An $18 billion settlement may change Instagram. But it won’t disciple your kids. That’s our job as parents.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
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