Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has recently announced a change in its policy regarding the minimum age requirement to use the popular messaging platform. The age limit has been lowered from 16 to 13 in the UK and EU, sparking criticism from various campaign groups.
One such group, Smartphone Free Childhood, has condemned Meta’s decision, accusing the tech giant of prioritizing shareholder profits over children’s safety. They argue that reducing the age limit sends the wrong message to parents about the safety of WhatsApp for children, raising concerns about potential risks and negative impacts on young users.
Conservative MP Vicky Ford echoed these sentiments, labeling Meta’s decision as “highly irresponsible” for not consulting parents before making such a significant change. Despite facing backlash, Meta has defended its decision by emphasizing the app’s existing safety features, such as control over who can interact with users and the option to block unknown contacts.
However, Smartphone Free Childhood has called into question the effectiveness of WhatsApp’s safety measures, warning about the potential dangers of young people having unrestricted access to the internet through their smartphones. They argue that social media platforms like WhatsApp can be disruptive in educational settings and have broader negative effects on mental health and social development.
In response to growing concerns about online safety, Meta has introduced new features aimed at protecting users from intimate image abuse and “sextortion”, particularly targeting young people. The company will begin testing a Nudity Protection filter in direct messages, which will automatically blur potentially explicit images and provide users with tools to block and report inappropriate content.
Recent studies have highlighted parental anxiety about children’s smartphone and social media use, with many expressing concerns about the harmful impact of these technologies on young people. A majority of parents believe that smartphones are detrimental to children, leading to calls for stricter regulations on their use, including a potential ban for under-16s.
As the debate over online safety and responsible technology use continues, stakeholders are calling for greater scrutiny of the content available to young people on digital platforms. The National Education Union in the UK has urged the government to investigate the risks posed by online content and take decisive action to protect young users from potential harm.
