Meta asks TikTok and YouTube to implement adolescent safety rules similar to its own

Meta has decided to pay up to $16.68 billion (equivalent to approximately 86 billion rubles) to settle allegations that its social networks are designed to encourage excessive use among children and adolescents. The agreement also includes changes to the operation of Facebook and Instagram, including implementing time limits and restrictions for underage accounts.

The lawsuit was initiated in August in a federal court in California, United States, by 29 states. Initially, authorities demanded penalties that could reach $1.4 trillion (7.2 trillion rubles).

Despite reaching a settlement, Meta denies committing any violations, according to a Reuters report. The company's defense argues that it could not mislead consumers because there is an official recognition of 'social media addiction' as a mental health condition.

As part of the legal settlement, the company commits to introducing new restrictions for users under the age of majority in the US. Furthermore, the design of these platforms has drawn the attention of Brazilian authorities with the enactment of the Digital Children's Law (ECA Digital) this year. Meta is also under investigation by the European Union for a similar issue.

The allegations claimed that Meta developed features intended to maximize the time children and adolescents spend online. Examples cited include infinite scrolling feeds, frequent notifications, and recommendation systems aimed at increasing usage time.

The process also linked constant platform presence to sleep and body image issues among youth. Prosecutors alleged that Meta collected data from users known to be under 13 without obtaining notification or consent from legal guardians, which violates the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)—the American equivalent of LGPD for children. The accusation states that this data was used to train systems such as generative artificial intelligence models.

Part of the settlement package also addresses cases related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Approximately $459 million (2.3 billion rubles) will be allocated to lawsuits filed by the states of California, Illinois, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C., concerning privacy violations.

Nevertheless, this agreement does not end the legal pressure on Meta regarding the protection of minors. The company continues to participate in other lawsuits in the United States alongside ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, Alphabet, responsible for YouTube, and Snapchat.

For instance, in New Mexico, a jury convicted Meta in March to pay $375 million (1.9 billion rubles), and in August, an additional fine of $567 million (2.9 billion rubles) was imposed for child safety violations. In another case concluded in March in Los Angeles, Meta and Google were found civilly liable for the mental health damage of a user who started using the platforms at age 9. Compensation in that case amounted to $6 million (30 million rubles).

New Zealand intends to ban the use of social media by individuals under the age of 16. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced that his party will introduce a bill in Parliament providing for fines of up to 10% of the global income of platforms that violate this rule.

According to Reuters, companies must implement mechanisms to verify user ages. The proposal includes the use of account data, facial recognition technology, and digital identification. However, the adoption of this project faces resistance within the governing coalition.

The essence of the initiative is to compel social media companies to take 'reasonable measures' to confirm the age of those using their services. If requirements are not met, platforms can be fined up to 10% of their global revenue.

Luxon supports this measure as a reaction to the negative consequences of children using these platforms. He stated: 'We simply cannot accept the damage being done to the generation of children in New Zealand.'

Prime Minister's Stance

In Luxon's view, social media exposes young people to harmful content, technological dependencies, and pressures they are not yet ready for. Luxon also linked this situation to impacts on family life, mental health, sleep, and education.

Key Provisions of the Bill

The bill may face difficulties in its progression through Parliament. The New Zealand First party, one of the government's components, has already expressed its support for the legislation. Winston Peters, leader of this party and Foreign Minister, questioned the direction of the legislation.

Peters published a statement on X expressing concern over the proposed legislation and the 'slippery slope' such laws would inevitably lead to in the country. In his opinion, the decision on how to keep children away from social media should remain with parents.

This New Zealand plan is similar to the decision made by Australia in December, which became the first country in the world to ban social media for those under 16. This rule applies to services such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Peters called the Australian experience a 'colossal failure.' Luxon acknowledges that monitoring compliance will be difficult but believes the attempt is worthwhile. He noted: 'We are not going to pull all children out of social media. Some will always find ways around it, but frankly, it is too important for us not to try.'