Meta demands that rules governing minors under 16 be implemented

Meta demands that rules governing minors under 16 be implemented

The proposed measure would place the responsibility for implementing parental controls on app stores, such as those operated by Apple and Google, rather than social media companies like Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook. Meta has faced criticism regarding its handling of teenagers using its platforms.

Meta’s Chief Safety Officer, Antigone Davis, has called for a straightforward, industry-wide solution to regulate the use of social media by children. She stated in a blog post that “parents should approve their teen’s app downloads, and we support federal legislation that requires app stores to get parents’ approval whenever their teens under 16 download apps.” Under this proposal, when a teenager wishes to download an app, app stores would be obligated to notify their parents, similar to how parents are informed when their teenager attempts to make a purchase.

The blog post also highlights that parents would have the option to approve app downloads, and they could verify their teenager’s age during the phone setup process. This approach aims to eliminate the need for age verification across multiple apps.

This statement from Meta comes at a time when the company is facing a growing number of lawsuits related to its handling of child and teenage users. Additionally, it follows the testimony of a whistleblower who appeared before the US Congress and expressed concerns that Instagram was not doing enough to protect teenagers from online threats. The whistleblower shared a personal experience in which his 14-year-old daughter encountered inappropriate advances on Instagram. He also mentioned that he believed his whistleblowing actions would make it unlikely for him to find future employment in the tech industry.

A rise in regulations

While Meta has previously introduced “over 30 tools” aimed at promoting a safer online environment, lawmakers in the US are increasingly passing local laws to address these issues. This growing patchwork of local legislation could potentially create a complex legal landscape for Meta and other tech companies.

In March, Utah became the first US state to mandate that social media companies obtain parental consent for children to use their apps. In response, Meta is advocating for a national law that would establish a consistent standard for all apps used by teenagers.

Meta’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, emphasized the need for collaboration between the tech industry and lawmakers to create efficient ways for parents to monitor their teenagers’ online experiences. She argued that legislation is essential to ensure that all apps used by teens are held to the same safety standards.

In addition to these regulatory challenges in the US, social media companies are facing increasing scrutiny and regulation worldwide. In the European Union, data privacy laws have posed significant challenges for Meta, leading the company to introduce a subscription fee to address these issues. Moreover, Meta has faced delays in launching its newest social platform, Threads.

Antigone Davis also suggested that placing the responsibility for parental controls on app stores could help protect user privacy by reducing the amount of sensitive identifying information collected by individual companies.