YouTube and TikTok to implement protections for younger users.
Youtube
Los Angeles, Aug 26 (EFE).-
Meta’s settlement resolving state lawsuits over claims that its social networks fuel addiction in minors is now pressuring YouTube and TikTok to implement similar protections for younger users.
The agreement, subject to approval by a federal court in Oakland, California, where the second week of the trial against the tech giant founded by Mark Zuckerberg was underway, requires a payment of 16.68 billion dollars and a series of measures to protect both adolescent users (aged 13 to 17) and children under 13.
However, the agreement is structured so that its terms will become stricter if other tech companies, such as Google (owner of YouTube) and ByteDance (operator of TikTok), also implement daily limits, restricted nighttime usage, and age-verification measures, as Meta has committed to doing, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who led the lawsuit, during a press conference.
For example, the agreed-upon usage limit for adolescents on Meta platforms has been set at two hours, but if other tech companies assume similar commitments, the restriction will tighten to one hour per day.
“That is the hope, that we will be able to get these heightened protections, these more significant commitments that will kick in for Meta. If and when we are able to secure um commitments and agreements from other industry players,” insisted the Attorney General, who emphasized that California and other states maintain an ongoing lawsuit against TikTok and Snap.
The agreed-upon payment is also contingent on other companies establishing similar restrictions. Meta will pay at least 12.1 billion dollars over ten years to resolve the states’ lawsuits. The remaining 5.3 billion dollars will be disbursed after future agreements are reached with other social media companies.
The lawsuit against Meta alleged that the tech company had designed its social networks to foster addiction among minors and deceived the public regarding the dangers of its platforms by ignoring the damage caused to the mental and physical health of young people, and by violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) through the collection of data from minors.
Additionally, California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey accused Meta of violating state consumer protection laws.
“This is an industry-wide problem. Meta is part of the industry, a major player in the industry, but there’s a bigger ecosystem that we will not be satisfied with until we address all of the problems in the entire industry,” Bonta stated.
The Attorney General, who hopes to reach commitments across the entire industry, stated that efforts will now focus on TikTok and Snap, but noted he is also “very concerned” about YouTube. EFE
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