Meta's New Rules: Will Social Media Be Safe for Children?
In the 1980s, prolonged litigation began in US courts against tobacco companies due to concerns regarding health, addiction, and allegations of concealing information. This culminated in the 'Master Settlement Agreement' of 1998. A similar situation is now unfolding with social media companies.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been held responsible for the harm caused to children by its addictive features. The company has agreed to pay $18 billion to US states to settle these claims.
Alongside Meta, companies such as YouTube, Snap, and TikTok have also had to answer to lawsuits in court. This settlement could mark a significant turning point for the social media industry, which has largely managed to avoid regulatory scrutiny until now.
In fact, social media features—such as infinite scrolling, algorithmic recommendations, notifications, and auto-playing videos—keep people, especially teenage users, hooked for extended periods. This addiction is linked to issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-harm.
Is change possible in social media?
Most social media platforms maintain that there is no clear scientific link between technology usage and addiction. However, the settlement has compelled Meta to implement significant changes for its US users.
The company is introducing measures—such as curbing continuous scrolling and limiting app usage—to prevent addiction and sleep disruption on Instagram and Facebook. Meta will also restrict features that negatively impact children's mental health.
What these changes mean for teenagers
Currently, anyone aged 13 or older can create an account on Instagram and Facebook. Users under the age of 18 are automatically assigned 'Teen Accounts,' which are private by default and restrict access to certain types of harmful content. Meta plans to introduce new features over the next six months.
Time Limits: Teenagers will be limited to spending just two hours a day on Instagram and Facebook. Only parents can authorize additional time via the settings. Children will be unable to use the apps between midnight and 6:00 AM. Notifications will be disabled during school hours—specifically between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
Disabling Features: Users will be able to turn off 'Autoplay,' a feature known to drive content addiction; instead, they will have to tap or swipe to view the next photo or video. Teenagers will also have the option to disable the algorithm-driven personalized feed.
According to the company, prompts will appear after 60 and 90 minutes of usage. The company will also hide 'like' counts and restrict the use of "extreme makeup filters" and filters that simulate the appearance of cosmetic surgery.
Additional Safety Measures: Meta will implement robust safeguards against 'unwanted contact from strangers,' though the specific mechanics of these measures and restrictions remain unclear. Meta has pledged to improve tools that allow parents to monitor the time their children spend on the apps and their search activity. Parents will receive alerts when their children create new accounts or interact with suspicious individuals.
Age Verification: Meta and other companies are developing tools for age verification. OpenAI has also announced 'ChatGPT for Teens,' a new chatbot mode equipped with safety features. The company states that it tracks over 2,000 signals to determine a user's age.
Fundamental issues will persist.
This agreement marks a significant shift, yet it does not appear to offer clear solutions to certain fundamental problems; specifically, it remains unclear how control will be exercised over recommendation algorithms and features that encourage scrolling.
Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.
