In a nationwide movement, several states, including New York, are proposing or enacting legislation to regulate children’s interaction with social media. Governor Kathy Hochul of New York is emphasizing this issue in a recent bill. However, Meta’s public policy manager, Dayna Geldwert, argues that these varied state laws could lead to inconsistent standards and experiences for teens online, causing confusion for both them and their parents.
Meta is advocating for federal legislation to establish a uniform standard across all platforms. This approach, developed by Meta in collaboration with organizations, parents, and policymakers, aims to simplify the oversight process for parents. The proposed federal law would require parental approval for teens under 16 downloading new apps, providing a centralized method for parents to manage their children’s online activities.
The company’s proposal also includes establishing industry-wide controls for supervising app usage, setting standards for advertising targeting children under 16, and creating a content rating system akin to those used for movies and video games. However, Meta opposes any legislation that bans the predictive algorithms central to social media platforms, arguing they enhance user experience and provide safety measures like filtering inappropriate content and restricting adult-teen interactions. Meta believes federal legislation should override state laws to ensure consistency across the country.
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