Meta deal not the end of Big Tech fight

Meta will pay up to $18 billion and restrict how children use Facebook and Instagram after US states accused the technology giant of deliberately designing its platforms to addict young users.

The Children’s Rights Alliance said the settlement, announced last week, should increase pressure on governments in Ireland and across Europe to confront the risks posed by social media companies.

Under the agreement, Meta will introduce a default two-hour daily limit for users under 18 and block access between midnight and 6am unless a parent gives permission.

Most notifications will also be disabled during school hours, while stronger age checks and restrictions on potentially harmful content are to be introduced.

Meta denies any wrongdoing.

The settlement ends a federal trial over allegations that Facebook and Instagram harmed children, misled the public about their safety and collected personal data from users under 13 without parental consent.

The case involved 29 US states and formed part of a wider settlement package under which Meta could pay up to $18 billion over ten years.

Noeline Blackwell (pictured above) Online Safety Coordinator at the Children’s Rights Alliance, said the outcome showed that governments could force change when they challenged powerful technology companies.

“This billion-dollar settlement shows that when governments prioritise public good and public health to challenge the might of big business, they have the power to win,” she said.

Ms Blackwell said Meta’s decision to settle just days into the trial reflected the mounting financial and reputational risks facing major social media companies.

While welcoming the new restrictions, she said the agreement failed to address one of the most powerful ways in which platforms keep young users engaged.

Meta will not be required to switch off recommendation algorithms by default for children.

These systems select and repeatedly promote material based on a user’s previous activity, potentially drawing young people towards increasingly harmful content.

“The additional restrictions, the time limits, the filters ban and night-time blocks are all positive for children and young people,” Ms Blackwell said.

However, she warned that recommendation algorithms and addictive design features could “pull children down rabbit holes and into the reach of predators”.

“The work to stop the relentless targeting and profiting off young people by these companies does not end with this case,” she added.

Meta has called for platforms including YouTube and TikTok to adopt comparable safeguards.

The Children’s Rights Alliance believes the settlement could also change how courts and regulators view the legal responsibilities of technology companies.

Online platforms have traditionally argued that they provide a neutral service and should not be treated as responsible for material uploaded by their users.

Ms Blackwell said that position had become harder to sustain because social media companies invest heavily in systems designed to influence what people see and keep them using their platforms.

“Lawyers are questioning whether that basic shield can hold given the time, thought and vast financial resources that tech expends on building ever more user engagement,” she said.

“This review is welcome and should lead to greater review in Europe and elsewhere.”

Meta’s European headquarters are in Dublin, while Facebook and Instagram are regulated under the European Union’s Digital Services Act.

The legislation places additional obligations on the largest online platforms to assess and reduce risks to children and other users.

The Children’s Rights Alliance said social media platforms should increasingly be treated like other products available in Europe, with the companies behind them required to ensure they are safe to use.