Meta Implements Content Restrictions for Teenagers
In response to mounting criticism about the addictive and harmful nature of its products, Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, announced on Tuesday that it will be introducing new measures to limit the type of content that teenagers can access on Facebook and Instagram.
According to a recent blog post by Meta, these measures aim to provide teenagers with more age-appropriate experiences on their apps. The updates will include more restrictive settings for users under the age of 18, restrictions on certain search topics, and prompts for teenagers to update their Instagram privacy settings.
Meta plans to implement these changes gradually over the next few weeks.
This decision comes after a bipartisan coalition of 42 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Meta in October, alleging that its products have contributed to mental health problems among teenagers, including eating disorders and body dysmorphia.
New York Attorney General Letitia James spoke out against Meta, stating, "Meta has profited from children's pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem."
In November, Arturo Bejar, a whistleblower from Meta, testified before a Senate subcommittee, revealing that the company was aware of the harm its products were causing teenagers but failed to take action.
Criticism of Meta has been widespread, likening the social media giant's practices to those of Big Tobacco. Salesforce Inc. CEO Marc Benioff and others have spoken out against Meta, while Apple Inc. has criticized its data privacy policies. These criticisms have followed Meta as it attempts to attract younger users with its ventures into the metaverse.
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