News

Meta Platforms Calls for New U.S. Law to Regulate App Downloads for Teens

James L. Flint

• November 16, 2023

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has recently made a significant move by advocating for a new U.S. law that would require app stores to obtain parental approvals for downloads made by users under 16 years of age. This bold stance, as detailed in a recent blog post by Meta's global head of safety, Antigone Davis, aims to address ongoing concerns surrounding the potential harm that social media platforms can pose to children, as well as the companies' response to this critical issue.

In light of this development, Meta's call for regulatory measures has drawn attention from industry giants such as Apple and Alphabet's Google. However, neither company has provided an immediate response to these recommendations.

While Meta's initiative is viewed positively by many, there are still critics who question the company's actions. One British organization dedicated to safeguarding children, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, expressed disappointment with Meta's position. In a statement, Richard Collard, representing the organization, emphasized the importance of tech executives taking responsibility for the negative impact their platforms can have on children instead of attempting to shift blame elsewhere.

Progress is being made in the regulation of social media, with top-tech executives increasingly focused on protecting children. Nevertheless, critics argue that Meta must take decisive action to address the harm caused by its own platforms rather than seeking external solutions.

Fresh Pressure on Meta: Senators Request CEO Mark Zuckerberg to Act

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is putting fresh pressure on Meta, formerly known as Facebook, to address concerns regarding the mental and physical health impacts of its products, including Facebook and Instagram. In a letter sent to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the senators requested documents related to Meta’s research, knowledge, and response to these health harms.

This development comes in the wake of recent testimony by Arturo Béjar, a former Facebook engineer and whistleblower. Béjar highlighted the platform's failure to address reports of harassment and harm faced by teenagers. This echoes previous revelations made by whistleblower Frances Haugen in 2021, where she revealed that Facebook's profit-driven approach was leading to self-harm and self-hate, particularly among vulnerable groups like teenage girls. Facebook's internal research has reportedly confirmed these issues multiple times.

The concerns surrounding social media's impact on mental health have gained significant attention, with Utah taking the lead in implementing measures to limit teen's access to social media. Utah's new law grants parents access to their children's social media accounts, imposes a curfew on social media usage, and demands age verification for all users. Similar bills are also being considered in other states, while the issue has become a topic of discussion in the 2024 presidential race. Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy even spoke out against social media companies during a GOP debate in September, proposing a ban on anyone aged 16 or under from using their platforms.