In a startling move, Meta agreed on Wednesday to a substantial settlement of $18 billion (£13.3 billion) to address allegations that its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, negatively impacted children. The agreement concluded a legal battle involving 29 states, which accused the tech company of compromising children’s online privacy as outlined by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The lawsuit primarily focused on Meta’s historical data collection practices concerning users under 13 years old. However, the case was broadly perceived as a critique of Meta’s online safety measures. The legal proceedings lasted just five days and ended before Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, could testify.
During the trial, whistleblower and former Instagram engineer Arturo Bejar testified that he had previously alerted company officials about harmful content affecting children, which went unactioned. Internal documents also revealed hesitance in developing tools that ensure user safety by default, despite recognising that non-default safety tools often have low usage rates.
Meta’s decision to settle may have protected it from potential penalties amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars, with the worst-case scenario suggesting a staggering $1.4 trillion (£1 trillion) fine. While the settlement does not imply an admission of guilt, it allows Meta to focus on maintaining its lucrative data-driven models while addressing compliance concerns.
Proposed Changes by Meta
In response to the settlement, Meta will implement a series of new safety measures. These include a two-hour maximum usage limit as a default for teenage users, exclusion of direct messaging from this limit, and muting notifications overnight and during school hours. Additionally, teens will not see like counts on posts, ostensibly to lessen social pressure on the apps.
These changes are expected to be available within six months, although enhanced user recognition features may take up to a year. While these measures currently apply to the US, there is anticipation that other countries might soon adopt similar rules.
Meta suggests that for the new measures to be genuinely effective, similar platforms should also incorporate them, hinting that competitors like TikTok and Snapchat may need to follow this path as global scrutiny on social media intensifies.
Arturo Bejar remains cautious, stressing that the efficacy of these new safety protocols will ultimately determine Meta’s accountability beyond their efforts.
Reporting based on coverage first published by bbc.co.uk.