Home / Technology / Meta to Boost Age Checks in $18B Kids Social Media Deal
Meta to Boost Age Checks in $18B Kids Social Media Deal
31 Aug
Summary
- Meta will enhance age verification processes across its platforms.
- The settlement resolves claims of addicting children to social media.
- Legal hurdles like COPPA complicate strict age verification methods.
Meta has reached an $18 billion settlement with U.S. states to enhance age verification on its social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. This agreement addresses concerns that Meta's platforms are designed to addict children.
The settlement mandates broad changes for users under 18, such as daily usage limits and nighttime push notification disabling. While stronger age checks are required, strict measures like photo ID verification are not. Special attention is given to users under 13, with efforts to identify and remove them from friend networks.
Meta faces legal challenges in implementing stricter age assurance due to laws like the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). This federal law restricts collecting personal data from children under 13 without parental consent, creating a bind for companies seeking to verify ages reliably.
To navigate these issues, the settlement and a recent New Mexico court judgment aim for improved age verification without triggering COPPA violations. The Federal Trade Commission has stated it won't act against companies collecting data solely for age verification, though state enforcement authority remains.
