For anyone using AI with patient data…

Meta just agreed to pay up to $16.68 billion to settle claims brought by a coalition of US states. The allegations: Facebook and Instagram were built in ways that encouraged compulsive use among kids, the company misled the public about the risks, and personal data was collected from children under 13 without proper consent. Meta denies wrongdoing, but the settlement still forces real changes, daily usage limits for teens, restrictions on overnight use, and tighter parental controls. (Source: court filing coverage, August 2026)

Here’s why this matters if you run a practice. This case was never really about social media. It was about consent, data collection, and who is actually watching what a system does with someone’s personal information once it’s live. That is the exact same question every practice owner needs to ask about the AI tools running in their office.

If you’re using AI for intake forms, patient communication, chart summaries, or anything else that touches personal information, especially anything that could touch a minor’s data, your consent language and data practices need to hold up to that same kind of scrutiny.

A mistake here isn’t just a fine. It’s trust with your patients that takes a long time to rebuild.

Proactive, Productive, and Profitable,
Dino