Explained | Settlement requires Meta to check young users' ages: How will that work?
Here is a look at what Meta said it will do to ensure that users are as old as they say they are, and some of the legal issues that could complicate age checks.
Meta has reached a $18 billion settlement with US states to improve how it verifies the ages of users on its platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The settlement aims to curb children's use of social media. Here's how Meta plans to address age verification and the legal hurdles involved.
Traditionally, Meta hasn't required users to provide proof of age, such as a photo ID. Instead, the company relied on contextual clues like birthday posts or school grade celebrations to identify younger users. However, Meta acknowledged that some younger users lie about their ages when creating accounts.
Under the settlement, Meta must implement significant changes to verify the ages of users under 18. This includes setting daily usage limits, disabling push notifications at night, and conducting stronger age checks for young users. However, the settlement does not require Meta to implement strict verification steps like checking photo IDs or asking users to upload video selfies.
The settlement places particular emphasis on age checks for children under 13. Meta must take extra steps, such as searching friend networks of the accounts of the youngest users to identify and eliminate them. The company must also make it easier for users to report suspected children's accounts and allow an independent auditor to review Meta's age-checking efforts.
One legal hurdle in determining ages is the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998. This federal law holds companies liable for damages if they collect personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. Meta and other social media companies have argued that COPPA restricts them from collecting data that would reliably verify a person's age, such as IDs or biometric information.
Experts argue that social media companies have used COPPA as a distraction to avoid taking responsibility for allowing children onto their platforms.
The settlement addresses privacy concerns by requiring Meta to take proactive age-verification measures without triggering violations of COPPA. In New Mexico, a judge concluded that COPPA limited the company's ability to order strict age verification, leading to the implementation of changes that balance age assurance with privacy protections.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stated that it would not take action against companies that collect personal information solely for age verification, providing some legal protection for social media companies.
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