New Legal and Regulatory Challenges for Social Media Giants
Social media giants including Meta and YouTube are facing significant trials and tightened regulations, as countries around the world express increasing concern over the impact of their platforms on young users' mental health and exposure to harmful content.
An International Concern
In India, the government has declared that social media companies must remove unlawful content within three hours of being notified, tightening an earlier 36-hour timeline. This could pose a compliance challenge for Meta, YouTube, and other platforms, according to the South China Morning Post. Meanwhile, research conducted for England's children's commissioner has shown that children are routinely exposed to harmful products online, including weight-loss drugs, steroids, and skin-whitening chemicals, as reported by The Guardian.
In the US, Meta and Google are facing a landmark trial over claims that their platforms were designed to addict young users, according to Fox News. This case could have major consequences for hundreds of similar lawsuits nationwide. Concurrently, a separate trial in Los Angeles centers around plaintiffs alleging that Meta and YouTube designed addictive features that harm children's mental health, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
Social Media Addiction Trials and Regulations
While these legal proceedings are frequently referred to as the social media addiction trials
, whether these platforms are truly addictive is still the subject of scientific debate, The Guardian reports. Despite this, the plaintiffs' lawyers have argued that Meta and YouTube have created 'digital casinos', according to Folha de S.Paulo.
In the midst of these legal proceedings, India is also considering a social media ban for children under 16, joining a growing list of countries considering similar measures, Deutsche Welle reports. However, this move has been met with resistance from young Indians, who are already plotting workarounds.
Impact on Young Users
Concerns over the impact of social media on young users are not limited to addiction. The New York Times reports that fringe movements are using games and other online platforms to recruit children to their causes. Meanwhile, a psychologist warns that the abuse of smartphones could lead to dependence in children, according to La Repubblica.
A 20-year-old Californian woman has been presented as the face of a scourge that has allegedly poisoned millions of American youths — overconsumption of social media, as reported by Japan Times. However, a YouTube lawyer argued that watching half an hour of videos a day does not result in addiction.
Current Status
As these trials and regulatory measures unfold, the potential implications for social media companies and their users remain uncertain. Critics worry that the new rules in India would be a compliance challenge for tech platforms and could expand censorship, according to BBC News.
The outcomes of these trials could reshape the design of social media for children, and put social media giants on the hook for significant damages. But as the trials continue, it is not yet clear how the jurors might ultimately rule.