Instagram and its parent company Meta have faced federal investigations, FTC enforcement actions, and class action lawsuits over the collection and use of children's personal data. Several cases have produced or are approaching settlement in 2026. If your child used Instagram or other social platforms as a minor, they may be owed compensation.
What Instagram Did (And Why It Matters)
Federal law (COPPA — Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) prohibits companies from collecting personal data from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. Meta and Instagram were found to have:
- Allowed children under 13 to create accounts without parental consent
- Collected location data, browsing history, and behavioral profiles from minor users
- Used minors' data to target advertising
- Failed to honor parental deletion requests in a timely manner
- Designed algorithmic features that the FTC found harmful to minors' mental health
Key Settlements Involving Children's Data
Illinois BIPA-Based Settlement
Illinois's Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) covers biometric data including face recognition data used in photo tagging. Meta paid $1.4 billion to Texas and has faced similar BIPA class actions in Illinois. Illinois residents who had minors using Instagram or Facebook's photo tagging during the covered period may have separate, higher-value claims.
National COPPA Class Action
A national class action alleging COPPA violations covers children who used Instagram while under 13 years old. Class members may be current users who created accounts as minors or former minor users.
Mental Health Harm Cases
Tens of thousands of individual lawsuits and class action cases allege that Instagram's algorithm knowingly exposed minors to harmful content. These cases are in multi-district litigation and may produce settlement funds in 2026–2027.
Who Can File on Behalf of a Minor?
Parents or legal guardians can file settlement claims on behalf of minor children. You will typically need your child's email address or phone number associated with their Instagram account, approximate dates of account creation, your contact information for payment, and your relationship to the minor.
How to File an Instagram Children's Privacy Claim
- Search Instagram settlements on SettlementRadar
- Identify which cases have active claim periods
- File as the parent/guardian authorized representative
- Provide the minor's account information and your guardian relationship
👶 Check Instagram Privacy Claims for Your Kids
Parents: see active cases related to minors' social media data.
Browse Privacy Claims →Frequently Asked Questions
My child is now over 18 but used Instagram as a minor. Can they still file?
Generally yes — class membership is based on age at time of account use, not current age. Former minors who are now adults can file their own claims for the period when they were under 18.
What if my child lied about their age to create an account?
Multiple lawsuits specifically allege that Instagram made it too easy for underage users to register falsely, and that the platform failed to verify age. This does not automatically disqualify your child — the class definition focuses on actual age at time of use, not stated age.
Are TikTok children's privacy settlements similar?
Yes. TikTok settled with the FTC for $5.7 million in 2019 and faces ongoing litigation over continued COPPA violations. Search TikTok settlements on SettlementRadar separately.
Deadline Alert
135 Settlements Closing This Month
Get the free PDF guide — sorted by deadline, with payout amounts and claim links.