In the face of a Senate inquiry into Meta’s alleged shortcomings in protecting children online, the social media giant has urged lawmakers to regulate app stores operated by tech behemoths Google and Apple. The call for federal legislation, articulated by Antigone Davis, Meta’s global head of safety, emphasizes the need for parents to be notified and grant approval when their children aged between 13 and 16 download applications. While the blog post refrains from explicitly naming Google and Apple, they are undeniably the principal proprietors of the largest smartphone app stores globally.
Davis contends that a legislative framework facilitating parental consent for children’s app downloads is a more effective approach to govern digital interactions, distinguishing it from laws mandating parental approval for social media account creation. This call coincides with the Senate judiciary committee’s initiation of an investigation, with a letter directed to Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, seeking documents related to the awareness of senior executives regarding mental and physical health risks associated with Meta’s platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
The Senate’s preliminary probe follows recent revelations by a former high-ranking Meta employee, Arturo Bejar, who testified about the dangers Instagram poses to children, including his own daughter’s experience with unwanted advances on the platform. The request for documents aims to shed light on Meta’s knowledge of such harms and its handling of internal concerns, especially after previous whistleblower Frances Haugen raised alarms about the adverse effects of social media on teenage girls.
As Meta endeavors to shift the focus towards regulatory oversight of app stores, the Senate’s investigation seeks to hold the company accountable for potential harm inflicted on young users through its platforms. The evolving narrative underscores the intricate intersection of technology, legislation, and child protection in the digital age.
