Making social media safer by design

Last month, Meta reached a settlement with 48 US states over allegations that its social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, breached federal child privacy laws and state consumer protection regulations. Although Meta did not admit wrongdoing, the company agreed to pay up to US$18 billion to the states and implement changes to enhance youth online safety.

These changes include defaulting to a two-hour daily usage limit for users under 18, limiting notifications during specific hours, and hiding reactions for teenage users. While users can disable these settings, opting in rather than opting out is a step in the right direction to minimize engagement and boost online safety. The implications of this settlement for users in Malaysia, where the under-16 social media ban came into effect on June 1, 2026, remain unclear.

However, the ban has had little impact three months later, as platforms have been given a six-month grace period to establish age verification protocols and remove accounts of users under 16. Evidence from Australia suggests that teenagers are finding ways to circumvent age restrictions. The Meta settlement reignites the broader online safety debate, shifting the focus from keeping users away from potential harm to requiring platforms to implement safety by design, a concept already embedded in the Online Safety Act 2025.

The settlement suggests that a Big Tech company can be held accountable for how their product design endangers users. If one company can be held liable, others can be too. While the settlement allowed Meta to avoid an expensive trial with negative publicity, it also acknowledged that technology policy experts have long advocated for product design decisions and safeguards that improve online safety instead of solely denying responsibility for user-generated content.

Two significant design features absent from Meta's proposed safety measures in the US are customised feeds and infinite scroll. Customised feeds use algorithmic recommendations to tailor content to users' preferences, which can introduce new content but may also create echo chambers and reinforce misinformation. Infinite scroll, which automatically loads more content as users scroll, encourages prolonged engagement and addictive behavior, potentially affecting mental health and attention spans.

While earlier versions of social media feeds had natural stopping points, platform providers are unlikely to abandon these design features that maximize engagement and profits. Nonetheless, the Meta settlement demonstrates that collective action driven by evidence can apply enough pressure to achieve results. Malaysia's current online safety legislation permits regulators to demand greater accountability from platforms. Policymakers should take note of the importance of this settlement in improving online safety.