Meta has agreed to implement a suite of new child safety features across Instagram and Facebook as part of a substantial settlement, according to reports. The agreement, which includes an $18 billion component, mandates changes aimed at protecting younger users on the company's platforms.
New Safety Features
The new measures include a default two-hour daily time limit for known teen users across both platforms, though direct messaging activity will not count towards this limit. Notifications will be muted by default between midnight and 6:00 a.m., and also during school hours, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on school days. Additionally, the visibility of likes on posts and content will be hidden for teen users.
Most of these features are expected to be made default or available to teens within six months. However, Meta's efforts to improve its identification of child users will take up to a year to be fully implemented.
Industry-Wide Implications
Experts suggest these changes are long overdue and could signal a broader shift in how social media platforms address child safety. There is an expectation that other countries may adopt similar measures. Meta itself has indicated that the effectiveness of these new features relies on widespread adoption by rival platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. The company acknowledges the competitive nature of the industry but points to a growing global concern regarding the impact of social media on children.
Arturo Bejar, a former Instagram engineer and now a whistleblower, emphasized that the true test of these new measures will be their effectiveness. "At the end of the day, Meta needs to be held accountable for results, not efforts," Bejar stated.
The introduction of these features raises questions about the future appeal of social media platforms if they become less engaging. Some observers speculate that these changes could contribute to a natural decline in social media usage as current adult users age out of the demographic most heavily engaged with these platforms.