The United Nations’ high commissioner for human rights issued a statement regarding child safety on social media platforms following Meta’s settlement of litigation with multiple US states. The commissioner emphasized that platforms should be designed with child protection as a foundational principle rather than as a reactive measure following legal action.
Meta agreed on Wednesday to implement several new safety features as part of the settlement with 48 US states, the District of Columbia, and three US territories. The proposed changes include time restrictions, night mode functionality, and age verification measures. As part of the agreement, Meta called on competing platforms, specifically naming TikTok and YouTube, to adopt comparable safety features. The company stated that the effectiveness of these measures would be limited without broader industry adoption.
California’s attorney general, who played a leading role in the lawsuit, indicated plans to engage with other major social media companies regarding similar implementations. Communication has already begun with TikTok and YouTube, with the official noting TikTok had expressed willingness to discuss the matter. Discussions were also initiated with Snap, another platform popular among younger users. The official indicated potential legal action could follow if companies do not voluntarily implement comparable protections.
The UN framework released earlier advocated for various regulatory approaches including data privacy protections, improved age verification systems, and platform designs that avoid addictive features. The framework explicitly rejected outright bans on youth access to social media as a viable solution. The settlement requires Meta to pay up to $18 billion over a decade, with a significant portion contingent on YouTube and TikTok implementing the specified safety measures.
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