The UK government is urging Meta to implement the same safety measures for British children that have been promised to American youths, following a significant legal settlement in the United States. This settlement, which may cost Meta as much as $18 billion, mandates the introduction of default safety features for users under 18. Among these features are a two-hour daily usage limit, extendable only with parental consent, as well as restrictions on overnight access and notifications during nighttime and school hours.
British officials insist that young people in the UK deserve protections equal to those provided to their peers in the US. In response, the UK government is also preparing to roll out its own regulations aimed at safeguarding children on social media. These proposed measures include barring under-16s from certain platforms and imposing curfews for teenage users during nighttime hours.
This development has fueled demands for more stringent regulation of social media companies and increased action against features that promote excessive use. The legal settlement in the US has intensified these calls, highlighting a growing concern over the influence of social media on young users.
Despite the proposed measures, some experts argue that simply setting time limits and curfews might not adequately address the broader issues. They point out that features like infinite scrolling, autoplay, and algorithmic recommendations are designed to keep users engaged, potentially undermining efforts to curb excessive screen time.