Reform of all social media should come with Meta changes, UN says

The United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, has called for comprehensive reform of all social media platforms, particularly after Meta settled a large-scale court case in the United States. Türk emphasized that governments should take action rather than relying on lawsuits and corporate decisions to ensure child online safety.

Meta agreed to implement several child safety measures, including parental supervision controls and time limits, as part of a $18 billion settlement with 48 US states, the District of Columbia, and three territories. However, Türk stated that while Meta's proposed changes align with his previous recommendations, more needs to be done.

In May, Türk released a 10-point framework for regulating social media, focusing on data privacy, safer platform design, and age verification, but he did not endorse outright bans on children's use of social media. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who led the state lawsuit against Meta, expressed interest in encouraging TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar measures. No response has been received from TikTok and YouTube regarding the matter.