Earlier this week, Meta settled a lawsuit brought by a coalition of state attorneys general and the District of Columbia, which claimed that the company’s products — namely Facebook and Instagram — were harmful to children. One week into trial, Meta agreed to a settlement that would require them to pay up to a $17 billion penalty, as well as enact a handful of safety precautions for accountholders 17 and under.
These stipulations are extensive. Kids will only have access to Facebook and Instagram for two hours a day, and the apps will be blocked between midnight and 6 a.m. Additionally, notifications will be silenced during school hours, cosmetic-procedure filters will be disabled, likes and reaction numbers will be banned, and kids will have the option to have a non-algorithmic scroll. They will also be required to enact some sort of age verification process, though the details of how that will work are yet to be seen.
Expert Perspectives on Meta’s Safety Changes
Overall, experts say the changes are positive, so long as the company complies, and the independent auditor — another provision of the settlement — is able to do their job effectively. “Of that long list of design changes that Meta has agreed to make, many of them are aligned with research,” explains Kris Perry, executive director of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development. “Those that are most aligned are the time limits, night mode, school mode, age assurance, and algorithmic feed control, autoplay, and hidden likes.”
Candice Feinberg, a clinical psychologist and cofounder of ROWI Teen and Parent Wellness Centers, also views the changes as a necessary step toward providing structure for young users. “Every toy comes with instructions, right? The fact that we have not had any structure for kids around social media has been a problem,” she notes.
The Future of Algorithmic Feeds and Teen Safety
The shift away from algorithmic feeds is a point of particular interest for advocates. Mick Tobin, cofounder of the Young People’s Alliance, highlights how current feed structures can negatively impact body image and mental health. By eliminating the algorithmic drive, Tobin hopes social media can return to a space where young people can interact and find community without the pressure of engagement metrics like likes and reactions.
However, some experts remain cautious about the implementation of these measures. While the settlement marks a significant victory for child safety advocates, the challenge of verifying user age and the potential for workarounds remain. As lawsuits continue to play out, the focus is shifting toward pressuring lawmakers to enact industry-wide standards, ensuring that these protections are not just a temporary fix but a foundational change in how technology companies interact with younger generations.