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Meta to restrict content for teens on Facebook and Instagram
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By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted January 11, 2024
Meta will restrict content to teenagers on Facebook and Instagram after complaints over its products’ adverse impact on youth mental well-being.
The social media giant said the new protections are “to give teens more age-appropriate experiences on our apps.”
The changes will default young users to more restrictive settings, limiting them to searching certain topics.
The company said it would prompt them to update their Instagram privacy settings.
The updates are expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
It will bar users under 18 from viewing content related to self-harm, eating disorders, or featuring restricted goods or nudity, even if shared by someone they follow.
This move follows a lawsuit filed in October by a bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general.
They allege Meta's products contribute to mental health issues among teenagers, including body dysmorphia and eating disorders.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said: “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame.
“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.”
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Meta whistleblower Arturo Bejar testified in November that the company was aware of the harm caused to young users but failed to take appropriate action.
Complaints about Meta's impact on mental health date back to 2021.
In September of that year, a Wall Street Journal report revealed that Facebook, before its rebrand to Meta, was aware that Instagram posed harm to many teenagers.
The whistleblower, Francis Haugen, later testified that Facebook prioritized profits over user health and safety, primarily through algorithms encouraging high-engagement posts.
Amid public outcry, Meta paused the development of an Instagram for kids service, designed for ages 10 to 12, with no recent updates on its status.
Meta did not specify the trigger for the latest policy change.
However, it noted in the blog post that it regularly consults with experts in adolescent development, psychology, and mental health to enhance platform safety for young users.
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