Meta has announced that teens on Facebook and Instagram would encounter less information connected to self-harm and eating problems. For users under the age of 18, the internet giant plans to provide new safety settings.
A few weeks later, Meta was charged in a different case with failing to close the majority of accounts held by minors under the age of thirteen.
Another complaint was filed against Meta in December. The company was accused of providing a “breeding ground” for predators who prey on children.
In the upcoming months, children under the age of 18 will be able to access the modifications.
In order to assist teenagers and their parents, Meta has created more than thirty tools and services. “We will start to hide more types of content for teens on Instagram and Facebook, in line with expert guidance,” the firm announced in a blog post.
It also stated, “We’re automatically placing all teens into the most restrictive content control settings on Instagram and Facebook and restricting additional terms in Search on Instagram.”
The business stated that it wanted teenagers to use the apps in a safe and age-appropriate manner.With only one press, Meta is also informing teenagers to update their Instagram privacy settings in order to receive fresh notifications.
The announcement follows criticism of Meta for its possible effects on teenage users in recent months.
Arturo Bejar, a former employee of Facebook who went on to become a whistleblower, said before a Senate subcommittee in November that CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other senior Meta officials disregarded advice for years regarding the dangers Instagram and other company platforms posed to minors. According to CNN, Bejar expressed special worries regarding the sexual harassment of teenagers on Instagram by strangers.
The same month, it was discovered through court records that Zuckerberg had a history of impeding teen well-being programs.
