Why Meta's 'big tobacco moment' in US might not flow to Australia

Meta's historic court settlement is being compared to the tobacco industry's landmark moments, but there is no assurance that Australians will reap the safety enhancements that the tech giant has agreed to. The $2 trillion company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has just reached a $23.6 billion settlement spanning over a decade, the largest fine of its kind for a social media platform.

This marks Meta's first forced alteration of core features in the US, including new default settings for users under 18. Teens will now have the option to switch to a chronological feed and bypass the algorithm designed to prolong their scrolling time.

The settlement emerged at the start of a two-month trial alleging Meta intentionally engineered its platforms to addict youthful users. Experts, such as Lisa Given, professor of information sciences at RMIT, suggest Meta likely perceived the writing on the wall. The news received a positive response from some Australian parents, who view the situation as a reckoning after 15 years of unrestricted online activity.

Dany Elachi from the Heads Up Alliance, a parent group focused on children's online safety, remains skeptical about Meta's commitment to the agreed measures but remains hopeful for the benefit of Australian children.

However, experts remain uncertain about the impact reaching Australian shores. Johanna Weaver, executive director of the Tech Policy Design Institute, emphasized that there is no mandate under this court case for changes to occur in Australia. She acknowledged the settlement as groundbreaking but stressed that it was a move Meta anticipated and designed for itself.

While the changes to Meta's platforms may have been within its comfort zone, she expressed optimism that such alterations could ultimately be applied globally. The professor highlighted the importance of Meta avoiding future court cases and avoiding a repeat of the Australian teen social media ban.