Trading Screen Time for Real, Live Connections

The North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) wants to take the awards and settlements from those lawsuits, and pour it right back into local afterschool and summer programs and complementary accessible youth mental health supports.

NC CAP is teaming up with partners across North Carolina and nationally to turn online harm into real-world opportunities that support youth well-being. Together, they are helping young people log-off, build real skills, make face-to-face friends, connect with supportive adults, and just be kids again.

The Toll of Too Much Screen Time

Social media can help young children connect and access and learn about new, exciting parts of the world. Unfortunately, the benefits of social media are being quickly outweighed by the risks. Our children’s health is being put at risk.

After decades of social media expanding in our lives, research shows that social media makes children feel more isolated, depressed, and anxious.

• Adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media are twice as likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Sleep and Mood Disruption: Late-night scrolling is linked to poor sleep quality, a major risk factor for mood disorders.
• Heavy users are twice as likely to experience suicidal thoughts.

North Carolina has stepped up to make this right. Governor Josh Stein and the NC Attorney General’s office joined states across the nation in a lawsuit against Meta for intentionally designing platforms to hook teens and fueling a youth mental health crisis.

On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced that North Carolina will receive up to $645 million in the landmark child safety settlement with Meta, recommending that our General Assembly invest these funds directly into the well-being of North Carolina’s youth.

Additionally, more than a dozen North Carolina school districts, including Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Wake, Robeson, Union, and Johnston counties, are pushing against social media giants to recover the massive drain on school mental health resources. North Carolina is seeking to hold platforms accountable.

The conversation can and should include restricting youth access to social media and reducing screen time—but it should not only be about that. It should also be about increasing positive experiences. When we place limits on youth consumption of social media, what are we offering them as an alternative that supports genuine connection and positive mental health?

Afterschool is the Perfect Antidote

Afterschool and summer programs give kids a safe place to unplug, explore, and grow. They are the ultimate real-world alternative to social media.

• Afterschool and summer programs provide young people with a safe place to connect, explore, and grow. Research shows that kids who participate in these types of programs build confidence and communication skills, benefit from healthy social interactions, and are better protected from risky behaviors or negative influences.
• Afterschool and summer programs are staffed by caring mentors who are trained to help youth build life skills and make smart decisions. Programs offer a safe, welcoming space where young people engage with their peers in hands-on projects and real-world learning activities.
• The vast majority of NC parents say afterschool programs help children develop communication and social skills, replacing screen time with in-person interaction. They also agree that afterschool programs prevent risky behaviors and exposure to negative influences in person and online.

However, access remains a critical issue for our state.

• Currently, 664,000 children in North Carolina are waiting for an afterschool program.
• 4 out of 5 NC parents who want to enroll their child in a program cannot access one, primarily due to cost and lack of transportation.
• 92% of NC parents say having their child in an afterschool program helps them keep their jobs or work more hours.

Put Big Tech’s Profits Back into NC Kids

NC CAP is working to reinvest the money won from North Carolina social media legal settlements directly back into our communities. The organization wants to build North Carolina’s afterschool programs and keep our kids engaged offline through the following opportunities:

• The LEAP Fund will create a dedicated Learning and Enrichment in Afterschool Programs (LEAP) Fund so this settlement money can only be spent on youth programs.
• A $19.5 million state funding request (launched in Spring 2026) will help kickstart this initiative.
• The NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will run a competitive grant process to distribute the money fairly to communities across North Carolina, with a focus on youth voice, mentorship, student mental health and well-being, career preparation, and community and family engagement.

The North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs are working with Mental Health and Child Health Partners to ensure that in addition to afterschool and summer programs, children and youth across North Carolina have accessible mental health and crisis support options when they need them.

Organizations, businesses, schools and school districts, educators, youth-serving professionals, afterschool program leaders, advocates, and community leaders who share this vision are invited to join the Fund IRL North Carolina Coalition. By adding your voice, you can help build statewide momentum for reinvesting social media settlement dollars into the real-life opportunities young people need to learn, connect, and thrive.

Learn more at fundirlnc.org, and visit ncafterschool.org.