Reform of all social media should come with Meta changes, UN says
All of social media should be designed to be safe for children, the UN human rights chief has said after Meta settled a massive court case in the US.
The United Nations' human rights chief, Volker Türk, has called for comprehensive reforms in all social media platforms to ensure they are safe for children. This call came after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, reached a significant settlement with almost all US states over child privacy concerns. As part of the agreement, Meta agreed to implement various child safety measures, including time limits and parental supervision controls, which also extend to platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
Türk emphasizes that governments must take proactive steps rather than relying solely on legal actions and company initiatives. He points out that children should not have to wait for a lawsuit to be protected online, highlighting Meta’s proposed changes as a step in the right direction but noting that more needs to be done. In May, Türk's office released a 10-point framework aimed at regulating social media, which included improving data privacy and enhancing platform design to prevent children from being exposed to addictive features.
However, the framework did not advocate for outright bans on social media for children. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a key figure in the lawsuit, is now pushing for TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar child safety measures as Meta. He believes that true effectiveness of the settlement will only come when all major social media platforms join in.
Despite agreeing to pay up to $18 billion over a decade as part of the settlement, Meta has not admitted to any wrongdoing.
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