Following a significant legal settlement in the United States, the UK government is pressing Meta to extend similar safety measures for children in Britain. The agreement, which could cost Meta up to $18 billion, mandates that the company implement default protections for users under 18. Among these measures is a two-hour daily time limit on usage, which can be extended only with parental consent. Other stipulations include restricted access during nighttime and school hours, and reduced notifications during those periods.
UK officials are firm in their stance that children in Britain should not be afforded lesser protection than their American counterparts. As part of this effort, the government is also drafting new restrictions on children’s access to social media. This includes proposals to prohibit under-16s from using certain platforms and introduce overnight curfews for teenage users, aiming to curb excessive screen time and its potential negative impacts.
The settlement has sparked renewed calls for more stringent regulation of social media platforms, highlighting the need for action against features designed to promote prolonged use. These calls underline a growing concern over how features like infinite scrolling, autoplay, and algorithmic recommendations can drive excessive engagement among young users.
However, some experts caution that merely imposing time limits and curfews may not comprehensively tackle the issues associated with engagement-driven design elements. While these measures are a step towards protecting young users, they argue that a broader approach is necessary to address the complex dynamics of social media usage and its impact on children’s well-being.