GoKawiilMeta 's landmark settlement in its child safety trial will precipitate the most significant change to its social media platforms for teen users ever.
The social media giant's settlement with more than 40 states plus the District of Columbia and multiple territories, includes up to $17 billion in payments over 10 years, changes to the apps for teens and stricter age assurances.
"It's the highest amount of money ever paid in a case like this," California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who led the trial, told CNBC in an interview after the settlement. "And $17 billion can do a lot of good to prevent and remediate mental health harms for kids."
Perhaps even more meaningful for Meta, which generated $201 billion in revenue last year, it must implement a range of product changes for users ages 13-17.
The list includes a two-hour default limit for time spent on its app, blocking the apps between midnight and 6 a.m., and muting notifications during school hours. Teen users will also have likes hidden, cosmetic filters disabled, and the option to control autoplay of videos as well as the ability to opt for a non-algorithmic feed.
Meta said it'll roll out many of the default protections in the next six months, but it will take up to a year to introduce age assurances — stricter age verification requirements to keep kids off its platforms and accurately identify teens who have lied about their age.
To address this complex problem, Meta is building a new prediction model to determine users who are under 13 or in the range of 13-17 by pulling in data like who they're connected to, who they follow and who their followers are, as well as the likes of happy birthday greetings.
Age verification — especially without facial recognition, which Meta doesn't use — is notoriously tough. The challenge has prompted a debate between Meta and app store owners Apple and Google about which entity should be responsible. Meta has also been working on age-gating technology in Australia to comply with laws banning social media for kids under age 16, but teens are finding workarounds.
After years of denying that its products negatively impacted kids, Meta's now trying to be a leader in a wave of changes, and is calling on rivals YouTube and Snap to join them.
... continue reading