Meta, the parent company behind Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion to settle lawsuits from dozens of U.S. states and territories. The claims accused the social media giant of designing its platforms to be addictive, likening their effects on young users to those of cigarettes. While the financial penalty is substantial, it is unlikely to threaten the stability of the trillion-dollar company. The more significant long-term impact may come from changes to Facebook and Instagram user experiences, some of which could affect Meta's advertising model.

It remains unclear how aggressively Meta will verify user ages, a critical element of many proposed changes. However, if the new restrictions are effectively enforced, tech reporter Mike Isaac noted that "it could have a dramatic impact on how young people use the largest social media platforms in the future."

In separate news, a devastating flood caused by an ice avalanche killed at least 160 people in a Himalayan river valley between Nepal and Tibet. Scientists attribute the glacier collapse to climate change-driven warming temperatures, with the ice chunk breaking off registering as a 5.2-magnitude earthquake equivalent.

Additionally, the FDA approved a first-of-its-kind pill for advanced pancreatic cancer, offering patients a new treatment option that extends life expectancy. Meanwhile, the Trump administration proposed expanding the definition of small businesses to include companies earning up to $1 billion annually.