California Attorney General Rob Bonta is seeking to ensure that TikTok and YouTube implement similar teen safety measures to those Meta has agreed to in a recent settlement. Meta agreed on Wednesday to pay up to $18 billion to 48 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and three U.S. territories to resolve a lawsuit concerning its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
The settlement requires Meta to pay the penalties over 10 years. A significant portion, $5.3 billion, is contingent on TikTok and YouTube also adopting specific measures. These include a one-hour daily time limit for users, a night mode feature, and age assurance measures. Meta has not admitted to any wrongdoing as part of the agreement.
Bonta, who represented California in the lawsuit against Meta, stated he was "interested" in discussing these safety measures with TikTok and YouTube, noting that TikTok has expressed interest in speaking with state officials. He also indicated he has communicated with Snap, another social media platform popular among younger users.
Meta's own statement following the settlement emphasized that the changes would only be truly effective if "all our peers join us." Bonta echoed this sentiment, warning that he is "willing to take additional steps" if other platforms do not voluntarily implement comparable changes.
The UN has also called for broader reform across all social media platforms in light of Meta's changes. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has previously advocated for stronger protections for young people online.