Meta Platforms said on Tuesday that it is targeting teenagers on Instagram and Facebook as regulators around the world put pressure on social media giants to protect children from harmful content on their apps. It has announced plans to hide even more content from young people.
Mehta said all teens will be placed on the most restrictive content control settings on the app, and additional search terms on Instagram will also be restricted. blog post.
Mehta said the move will make it less likely that teens will encounter sensitive content like suicide, self-harm and eating disorders when using Instagram's features like search and explore. .
Mark Zuckerberg's Mehta said the measures, which are expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks, will help provide a more “age-appropriate” experience.
Meta is under pressure in both the US and Europe over allegations that its app is addictive and fuels a mental health crisis among young people.
Attorneys general from 33 US states, including California and New York, sued the company in October, accusing it of repeatedly misleading the public about the dangers of its platform.
In Europe, the European Commission has requested information on how Meta protects children from illegal and harmful content.
The regulatory pressure comes after former Meta employees say Meta was aware of the harassment and other harm teens faced on its platform but failed to act against it. It happened following testimony before the Senate.
The employee called on the company to redesign Facebook and Instagram to encourage users toward more positive behaviors and give young people better tools to manage unpleasant experiences.
Children have long been an attractive demographic for companies, which want to attract them as consumers at an age when they are more impressionable and form brand loyalty.
For Meta, which has been in fierce competition with TikTok for young users in recent years, teenagers will secure more advertisers who want their kids to keep buying their products as they grow up. It may help you.
