tech
UK kids face new safety measures on Facebook and Instagram after Meta legal case
Meta has committed to strengthening tools to prevent underage accounts (Image: Jam Press/EE)
TL;DR
- Meta to introduce new safety features for under-18s on Facebook and Instagram, following a US legal settlement.
- Proposed features include default blocks on infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, and recommender feeds for minors.
- UK government plans to implement its own social media restrictions, including night-time curfews and eventual bans for younger teens.
- Meta's age verification improvements are crucial for the success of safety measures, as current methods are easily circumvented.
- The settlement resolves claims that Meta designed Instagram to be addictive and harmful to children's mental health.
- Some campaigners criticize the settlement for not revealing enough about Meta's knowledge of harm to young users.