Meta’s settlement opens new front in global fight over social media harm
Meta's US$18 billion settlement with nearly 50 US states over social media harm to teenagers marks a new front in global efforts to protect children and curb social media addiction.
Australian regulators have hailed Meta's $18 billion US settlement over claims of social media harm to teenagers, viewing it as a positive development in the global effort to protect minors online. The settlement, which covers nearly 50 US states, includes a provision requiring Meta to limit teenagers' usage of Facebook and Instagram.
Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells emphasized the company's responsibility to utilize tools available to prevent addiction-inducing features from affecting young users. However, Australia's own enforcement of such restrictions has been inconsistent, with studies indicating that a majority of teenagers continue to access social media platforms months after the introduction of age limits.
Similar regulatory challenges persist in other countries, including Poland, China, South Korea, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, all of which are pursuing measures to curb social media activity among children.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
