1 week ago
Experts Question Meta’s Social Media Safeguards for Teens
Meta has announced new safety rules for teenagers using its social media apps.
One rule would give teens a default limit of two hours a day across Facebook and Instagram.
Parents may be able to change settings so teens see posts in a feed that is not personalized by algorithms.
Child psychiatrists say these changes could help, but they are not sure the rules will work well.
They also worry that two hours online may still be too much for some children.
Too much screen time can replace family conversations, sports, hobbies, studying, and chores.
Experts say parents should learn how the controls work and use them every day.
Parents should also talk calmly with children about why excessive social media use can be unhealthy.
They should show healthy behavior by spending time away from their own screens.
Meta has proposed protections including a default two-hour daily limit for teens across Facebook and Instagram.
Parents may be able to require teens to use a non-algorithmic, non-personalized feed.
Child psychiatrists say two hours of social media may still exceed a healthy limit and displace offline activities.
Experts welcome Meta’s acknowledgment of responsibility but question whether the safeguards will be enforceable over time.
Psychiatrists urge parents to set clear rules, discuss online risks, and model healthier screen habits themselves.
- Who
- Meta, parents, teenagers, and child and adolescent psychiatrists including Bhooshan Shukla and Jai Ranjan Ram.
- What
- Meta has proposed teen protections involving time limits, parental controls, and non-algorithmic feeds, while psychiatrists have questioned their sufficiency and enforceability.
- Where
- The concerns include Indian teenagers, with comments from psychiatrists in Pune.
- When
- The article discusses Meta’s proposed protections; no specific implementation date is given.
- Why
- The measures are intended to reduce potential harms and addictive behavior associated with excessive social media use among teenagers.
Safeguards Could Help
Safeguards May Be Insufficient
Value of Meta’s measures
Safeguards Could Help
The safeguards are an important step because Meta has acknowledged some responsibility for behavior linked to its platforms, and parental controls could give families more agency.
Safeguards May Be Insufficient
Experts warn that the measures could create false reassurance if parents assume the company’s settings alone will protect teenagers.
Two-hour daily limit
Safeguards Could Help
A default cumulative limit across Facebook and Instagram could reduce the amount of time teens spend scrolling.
Safeguards May Be Insufficient
Dr. Bhooshan Shukla says two hours of social media may already exceed a harmful level and could add to teenagers’ overall screen time.
Responsibility for children’s use
Safeguards Could Help
Parents can use the controls, set household rules, discuss risks, and guide children toward healthier activities.
Safeguards May Be Insufficient
Dr. Jai Ranjan Ram says responsibility cannot rest only with parents; social media companies also have duties toward children’s well-being and safety.
Key facts
- Default time limit
- Two hours per day across Facebook and Instagram.
- Accounts covered
- Time spent scrolling on both apps counts toward the total, including detected multiple accounts.
- Feed option
- Teens may choose a non-algorithmic feed as their default.
- Parental control
- Parents may be able to require the non-algorithmic feed setting for their teens.
- Experts’ concern
- Psychiatrists question whether the safeguards will be enforceable and effective over the long term.
- Potential impact
- Excessive screen time may displace family time, face-to-face interaction, sports, self-study, hobbies, and chores.
Quotes
Dr Bhooshan Shukla
Child and adolescent psychiatrist from Pune
“It should do exactly the opposite, because this is a signal that Meta has acknowledged that they have some responsibility in producing addictive behaviour through social media. The safeguards are an extremely important step. However, I remain sceptical about how far they would be enforceable, and what impact they will have over a longer period of time in reducing behavioural addiction.”
telegraphindia.com
“Two-hour time limit already crosses the harm limit. If up to two full hours are allowed on social media alone, one can only imagine the total screen time of the adolescent. As it is, Indian kids are spending huge amounts of time on screen. This comes at the expense of other activities like family time, face-to-face interactions, sports, self-study, hobbies and chores.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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