crednews is the original content division of cred.ai

the original content division of cred.ai

Meta Issues New Guidelines to Protect Teens on Social Media

Meta Issues New Guidelines to Protect Teens on Social Media

After years of complaints, Meta has agreed to restrict the content teenagers can see on Facebook and Instagram. Evidence has continued to mount indicating that the company’s social media offerings are highly addictive and detrimental for youth in particular.

A bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general announced last October that they were filing a lawsuit against Meta due to the harmful effects of its products on teens. They say Meta has led some young people to develop eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and other mental health problems.

“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement announcing the lawsuits. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”

In an effort to “give teens more age-appropriate experiences” on their apps, Meta representatives explained that they will be rolling out new protections over the next several months that prevent teens from seeing incendiary posts and stories “even if [they’re] shared by someone they follow.”

The guidelines will also automatically set those under the age of 18 to the most limited settings, so they will be unable to search for certain restricted topics or view anything that involves nudity.

However, critics point out that the protections are only relevant if teens accurately report their ages when signing up for new accounts.

“You do not need parental permission to sign up for a social media account,” Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, told NPR. “You check a box saying that you’re 13, or you choose a different birth year and, boom, you’re on.”

In recognition of that reality, Meta says it is investing in age verification tools and technology to quickly ascertain when users are lying about their ages.

share this story

© crednews a division of cred.ai

cred.ai originals

latest posts

A group of bipartisan lawmakers has introduced the Patients Before Monopolies Act. Led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), the senate bill targets pharmacy benefit managers…
The 2024 holiday shopping season is a study in contrasts. As economic challenges meet the forward march of innovation, consumers are tightening their belts yet indulging in self-gifting. From…
Cemeteries, traditionally the domain of manicured lawns and orderly rows, are experiencing a renaissance of sorts. Across the globe, these solemn spaces are being transformed into vibrant ecosystems, embracing…
In response to a significant cyber-espionage campaign attributed to a Chinese government-linked hacking group known as Salt Typhoon, U.S. federal agencies are urging Americans to use encrypted messaging applications…

view the code through your phone’s camera
app and click the link that appears.
click the  X  or “esc” to close.