Facebook knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content: internal document
2 years, 1 month ago

Facebook knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content: internal document

CBS News  

Families suing social media companies Suing Social Media: Families say social media algorithms put their kids in danger | 60 Minutes 13:29 A previously unpublished internal document reveals Facebook, now known as Meta, knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content. Attorney Matt Bergman started the Social Media Victims Law Center after reading the so-called "Facebook Papers," disclosed by whistleblower Frances Haugen last year. "Time after time, when they have an opportunity to choose between safety of our kids and profits, they always choose profits," Bergman told 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, declined 60 Minutes' request for an interview, but its global head of safety Antigone Davis said, "we want teens to be safe online" and that Instagram doesn't "allow content promoting self-harm or eating disorders."

Media Social Instagram Meta Facebook 60 Minutes Bergman Content Internal  pushing  facebook  content  internal  minutes  60  bergman  media  knew  dangerous  meta  instagram  girls  social  document  kids

History of this topic

Cut risks, not potential, of social media for young with Instagram Teen Accounts
1 month, 1 week ago

Cut risks, not potential, of social media for young with Instagram Teen Accounts

India Today  

Being a great communication and learning tool for teenagers, managing the use of social media by them is becoming increasingly important. The idea behind Instagram Teen Accounts is to place teens in built-in protections and reassure parents that their children are having safe experiences. “Parents and educators play a vital role in managing teenagers’ social media experiences. Using these features, …

Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. They've cleverly addicted us to our own egos Zoe Kalar, WeAre8 founder Zoe Kalar, the app’s founder, …

Mother of schoolgirl caught up in an AI fake porn incident says she is against social media ban
2 months, 1 week ago

Mother of schoolgirl caught up in an AI fake porn incident says she is against social media ban

ABC  

The mother of a teenage girl whose fake nude images were circulated online says banning children aged under sixteen from social media won't fix the core problem. "Even as a parent of a child that went through that, social media isn't the problem — educating men and boys is the problem," Emily said. Bacchus Marsh Grammar principal Andrew Neal says …

Social media firms state their case
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Social media firms state their case

Politico  

Social media firms state their case TECH MAZE Florida AG Ashley Moody is defending a state law restricting kids' social media access in court. | AP Photo Tech giants sued Florida on Monday, attempting to overturn a state law requiring social media applications to restrict children’s access. The groups contend that the law, a top priority for outgoing Republican state …

If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’
4 months, 2 weeks ago

If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’

LA Times  

Documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield had spent her day with a group of high school students when a startling revelation came up that compelled her to go home and ask her two sons, then about 14 and 20, a question: “Is BDSM really a trend?” “Oh, yeah, choking is what we’re told girls want,” she recalled one of her sons saying …

Social media firms ‘failing to detect and remove’ suicide and self-harm content
5 months ago

Social media firms ‘failing to detect and remove’ suicide and self-harm content

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Some of the biggest social media platforms are failing to detect and remove …

Canada man sues social media giants YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, for being too addictive, causing negative body image
5 months ago

Canada man sues social media giants YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, for being too addictive, causing negative body image

Hindustan Times  

A 24 year old man from Montreal, Canada, is launching a class-action lawsuit against social media companies like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook for being “too addictive.” Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram apps are seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021. The man started using social media in 2015, due to which, he claimed …

Teen sues Meta for $5bn saying Instagram’s features are ‘addictive’
5 months, 1 week ago

Teen sues Meta for $5bn saying Instagram’s features are ‘addictive’

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The case cites numerous internal documents …

Instagram 'is profiting from AI-generated child abuse images': Charity lawyers target social media giant Meta for 'not tackling' a 'new frontier of horror' that sees paedophiles advertise websites sel
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Instagram 'is profiting from AI-generated child abuse images': Charity lawyers target social media giant Meta for 'not tackling' a 'new frontier of horror' that sees paedophiles advertise websites sel

Daily Mail  

Instagram is facing a legal challenge over claims it profits by allowing users to advertise AI-generated child sex abuse images. In what campaigners say is a 'new frontier of horror', paedophiles are using artificial intelligence software to generate thousands of sexualised images of children, which they brazenly market on Instagram, telling users to click on their sites to buy even …

A realistic way to protect kids from social media? Find a middle ground
7 months, 1 week ago

A realistic way to protect kids from social media? Find a middle ground

Associated Press  

Ahmed Othman isn’t on TikTok and doesn’t want to be. “They really tried to emphasize social media is a tool, but can also be like your worst enemy if you so make it,” Othman said. Othman’s parents took a middle ground approach that a growing number of experts say is the most realistic and effective way of teaching children about …

What are the new social media algorithm rules as Ofcom cracks down?
8 months, 1 week ago

What are the new social media algorithm rules as Ofcom cracks down?

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Social media platforms …

Instagram’s Pedophile Problem
10 months ago

Instagram’s Pedophile Problem

Slate  

As the debate around child safety online rages on, an investigation by The New York Times found a seedy world of pedophiles interacting with child influencer accounts, often run by their parents, on Instagram. Meta sent a statement that said, in part: “Child exploitation is a horrific crime and online predators are determined criminals. We use sophisticated technology, hire child …

Can Lawsuits Make Social Media Safer for Kids?
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Can Lawsuits Make Social Media Safer for Kids?

Bloomberg  

Young people spend long periods of time on social media despite mounting evidence that it’s not good for them. One allegation: that the social media giants borrow from the playbook of behavioral techniques used in the gambling and cigarette industries. Children, adolescents and young adults — sometimes via their parents, siblings or other family members — have sued based on …

New York City files a lawsuit saying social media is fueling a youth mental health crisis
11 months ago

New York City files a lawsuit saying social media is fueling a youth mental health crisis

Associated Press  

New York City, its schools and public hospital system announced a lawsuit Wednesday against the tech giants that run Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, blaming their “addictive and dangerous” social media platforms for fueling a childhood mental health crisis that is disrupting learning and draining resources. “Over the past decade, we have seen just how addictive and overwhelming the …

Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation

Associated Press  

Suicide and eating disorders. “They’re responsible for many of the dangers our children face online,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who chairs the committee, said in opening remarks. From left; Discord CEO Jason Citron, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, X CEO Linda Yaccarino and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are sworn in during a Senate Judiciary Committee …

Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Meta, TikTok and other social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing on child exploitation

LA Times  

Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg turns to address the audience during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss child safety. On Wednesday, the chief executives of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify as lawmakers and parents grow increasingly concerned about the effects of social media …

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok CEOs face tough questions on child safety online I Watch LIVE proceedings
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok CEOs face tough questions on child safety online I Watch LIVE proceedings

India TV News  

California: The CEOs of top social media apps and video streaming platforms including Meta, TikTok, X and others are testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee about child exploitation on their platforms, as lawmakers, families and advocates are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives. So independent regulation needs to step in.” Facebook to face …

To protect kids, California might require chronological feeds on social media
11 months, 2 weeks ago

To protect kids, California might require chronological feeds on social media

LA Times  

Social media companies design their feeds to be as gripping as possible, with complicated algorithms shuffling posts and ads into a never-ending stream of entertainment. A new California law would require companies to shut off those algorithms by default for users under 18, and implement other mandated tweaks that lawmakers say would reduce the negative mental health effects of social …

Court documents underscore Meta’s ‘historical reluctance’ to protect children on Instagram
11 months, 4 weeks ago

Court documents underscore Meta’s ‘historical reluctance’ to protect children on Instagram

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Newly unredacted documents from New Mexico’s lawsuit against Meta underscore the company’s “historical reluctance” to keep children safe on its platforms, the complaint says. One internal document referenced in the lawsuit shows Meta “scrambling in 2020 to address an Apple executive whose 12-year-old was solicited on the platform, noting ‘this is the kind of thing that pisses …

Meta will limit reach of harmful content to teens on Facebook and Instagram amid scrutiny
1 year ago

Meta will limit reach of harmful content to teens on Facebook and Instagram amid scrutiny

LA Times  

Meta said it will restrict inappropriate content for teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook, such as posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. Facing increased scrutiny over its social networks’ effects on teenage users, Meta announced Tuesday that teens on Facebook and Instagram will see less content related to self-harm and eating disorders. Another change will automatically set users under …

Meta to hide posts about suicide, eating disorders from teens’ Instagram and Facebook feeds
1 year ago

Meta to hide posts about suicide, eating disorders from teens’ Instagram and Facebook feeds

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Meta said Tuesday it will start hiding inappropriate content from teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook, including posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. This is an important story, and can help destigmatize these issues, but it’s a complex topic and isn’t necessarily suitable for all young people,” Meta said. “Now, we’ll start to remove this type …

Facebook parent sued by New Mexico alleging it has failed to shield children from predators
1 year, 1 month ago

Facebook parent sued by New Mexico alleging it has failed to shield children from predators

Associated Press  

SANTA FE, N.M. — Facebook and Instagram fail to protect underage users from exposure to child sexual abuse material and let adults solicit pornographic imagery from them, New Mexico’s attorney general alleges in a lawsuit that follows an undercover online investigation. The accounts also received recommendations to join unmoderated Facebook groups devoted to facilitating commercial sex, investigators said, adding that …

Court document claims Meta knowingly designed its platforms to hook kids, reports say
1 year, 1 month ago

Court document claims Meta knowingly designed its platforms to hook kids, reports say

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook parent Meta Platforms deliberately engineered its social platforms to hook kids and knew — but never disclosed — it had received millions of complaints about underage users on Instagram but only disabled a fraction of those accounts, according to a newly unsealed legal complaint described in reports from The Wall Street Journal and The New York …

Former Meta engineering leader to testify before Congress on Instagram's harms to teens
1 year, 2 months ago

Former Meta engineering leader to testify before Congress on Instagram's harms to teens

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. I don’t think policy/reporting or having more content review …

Editorial: Social media can harm kids. Lawsuits could force Meta, others to make platforms safer
1 year, 2 months ago

Editorial: Social media can harm kids. Lawsuits could force Meta, others to make platforms safer

LA Times  

It’s a rare issue that can bring 41 states together for a bipartisan fight. This week, state attorneys general across the political spectrum joined forces in suing Facebook parent company Meta for allegedly using features on Instagram and other platforms that hook young users, while denying or downplaying the risks to their mental health. This comes two years after states …

Meta sued by 33 US states for damaging children's mental health, causing depression, anxiety, insomnia
1 year, 2 months ago

Meta sued by 33 US states for damaging children's mental health, causing depression, anxiety, insomnia

Firstpost  

Meta’s Instagram is getting sued by a coalition of 33 states for intentionally damaging children’s mental health, causing depression, anxiety, insomnia using their algorithms. The lawsuit accusing the tech giant of exploiting young users for profit and exposing them to harmful content Meta Platforms, the parent company of social media giants Instagram and Facebook, has found itself embroiled in a …

The 5 Instagram Features That US States Say Ruin Teens’ Mental Health
55 years ago

The 5 Instagram Features That US States Say Ruin Teens’ Mental Health

Wired  

In 2019, Instagram’s top executive, Adam Mosseri, went on TV to describe how the Meta-owned social media app was “rethinking the whole experience” to prioritize the “well-being” of users above all else. “Despite overwhelming internal research, independent expert analysis, and publicly available data that its social media platforms harm young users, Meta still refuses to abandon its use of known …

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
1 year, 2 months ago

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health

Associated Press  

Dozens of U.S. states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

U.S. States sue Meta for harming young people’s mental health, collecting data on children
1 year, 2 months ago

U.S. States sue Meta for harming young people’s mental health, collecting data on children

The Hindu  

A group of 33 States including California and New York are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people’s mental health and contributing the youth mental health crisis by knowingly designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children
1 year, 2 months ago

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
1 year, 2 months ago

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health

Associated Press  

Dozens of US states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

California sues Facebook parent Meta over alleged harm to young people
1 year, 2 months ago

California sues Facebook parent Meta over alleged harm to young people

LA Times  

California and 32 other states on Tuesday sued Facebook parent company Meta over allegations that it “designed and deployed harmful features” on the main social network and its platform Instagram despite knowing about the mental health risks to young people. “In seeking to bolster profits, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its products.” The 233-page …

California lawmakers want to make social media safer for young people. Can they finally succeed?
1 year, 5 months ago

California lawmakers want to make social media safer for young people. Can they finally succeed?

LA Times  

Samuel Chapman of Los Angeles, whose teenage son died after taking a fentanyl-laced drug he got through Snapchat, is urging California lawmakers to crack down on social media platforms. Social media platforms such as Meta-owned Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok have removed some harmful content, but parents, teens and lawmakers say they need to do more to make their services …

Facebook defamation ruling highlights costly legal dangers of social media posts, say lawyers
1 year, 6 months ago

Facebook defamation ruling highlights costly legal dangers of social media posts, say lawyers

ABC  

The case of a Queensland woman who has been ordered to pay $279,000 in damages to a couple she defamed in a Facebook group highlights a growing problem of people being unaware they are legally responsible for what they post online, lawyers say. Key points: A Queensland woman has been ordered to pay $279,000 to her ex-neighbours for defaming them …

Alarming findings: Instagram's disturbing role in promoting pedophiles and illegal content
1 year, 7 months ago

Alarming findings: Instagram's disturbing role in promoting pedophiles and illegal content

Hindustan Times  

Instagram, owned by Meta, has come under fire in a new report revealing its role as a platform for a "vast network" of pedophiles sharing and promoting illegal content. The investigation conducted by The Wall Street Journal, along with Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts, found that Instagram's algorithms actively connect and guide pedophiles to accounts that sell underage …

Top US health official warns of social media’s risk to children
1 year, 7 months ago

Top US health official warns of social media’s risk to children

Al Jazeera  

US surgeon general calls for tighter regulations and greater research on minors’ use of social media websites. Washington, DC – The United States surgeon general has warned that social media can have a “profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children”, calling for more regulations and research on minors’ use of internet platforms. The advisory highlighted …

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns
1 year, 7 months ago

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns

NPR  

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Social media can present a real risk to the mental health of children and teenagers because of the ways their brains are affected by the amount of time they spend using it, the U.S. surgeon general warns …

Child social media stars have few protections. Illinois aims to fix that
1 year, 8 months ago

Child social media stars have few protections. Illinois aims to fix that

Associated Press  

CHICAGO — Holed up at home during the pandemic lockdown three years ago, 13-year-old Shreya Nallamothu was scrolling through social media when she noticed a pattern: Children even younger than her were the stars — dancing, cracking one-liners and being generally adorable. “I realized that there’s a lot of exploitation that can happen within the world of ‘kidfluencing,’” said Nallamothu, …

Sophie Turner’s daughter video: This is why I’m keeping my newborn off all social media – and you should too
1 year, 8 months ago

Sophie Turner’s daughter video: This is why I’m keeping my newborn off all social media – and you should too

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy From the …

Women and girls ‘traumatised’ by social media, warns Georgia Harrison
1 year, 8 months ago

Women and girls ‘traumatised’ by social media, warns Georgia Harrison

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Reality TV personality Georgia Harrison has said women and girls are …

Zuckerberg was warned on social media addiction, filing says
1 year, 10 months ago

Zuckerberg was warned on social media addiction, filing says

LA Times  

Mark Zuckerberg speaks at Georgetown University in Washington. Unredacted filings from a lawsuit filed over the weekend revealed that Zuckerberg personally had been warned of the risks of social media addiction among children and teens. California California becomes first state to make firms disclose social media policies California will impose first-of-its-kind requirements on social media companies to publish their policies …

The real social media crisis: Teen mental health, not Hunter Biden's laptop
1 year, 11 months ago

The real social media crisis: Teen mental health, not Hunter Biden's laptop

Salon  

Teen girls are facing record levels of sexual violence and suicide risk as online harassment and bullying trends persist, according to a damning new survey from the Centers for Disease Control. With mounting pressure to act, both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate hope to craft new legislation to tackle threats to kids' online privacy and rein in the risks …

Mother whose daughter killed herself backs calls for social media crackdown
2 years ago

Mother whose daughter killed herself backs calls for social media crackdown

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Facebook knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content: internal document
2 years, 1 month ago

Facebook knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content: internal document

CBS News  

Families suing social media companies Suing Social Media: Families say social media algorithms put their kids in danger | 60 Minutes 13:29 A previously unpublished internal document reveals Facebook, now known as Meta, knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content. Attorney Matt Bergman started the Social Media Victims Law Center after reading the so-called "Facebook Papers," disclosed by whistleblower …

Instagram’s algorithm officially listed as the cause of death in a court case in the UK
2 years, 3 months ago

Instagram’s algorithm officially listed as the cause of death in a court case in the UK

Firstpost  

Instagram and Pinterest have been officially listed as the cause of death by a coroner in a 14-year-old girl’s suicide case in the UK. The coroner who testified in the case, Andrew Walker, at one point, described the content that Russell liked or saved in the days ahead of her death as so disturbing, that he found it “almost impossible …

Molly Russell reached out to celebrities and influencers for help, inquest told
2 years, 3 months ago

Molly Russell reached out to celebrities and influencers for help, inquest told

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The 14-year-old sent tweets to …

Molly Russell inquest to examine role of social media algorithms in teen’s death
2 years, 3 months ago

Molly Russell inquest to examine role of social media algorithms in teen’s death

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Molly Russell’s family’s five-year wait for answers is set to …

California 1st with law protecting children’s online privacy
2 years, 4 months ago

California 1st with law protecting children’s online privacy

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California will be the first state to require online companies to put kids’ safety first by barring them from profiling children or using personal information in ways that could harm children physically or mentally, Gov. He noted that as a father of four, “I’m familiar with the real issues our children are experiencing online.” The bill requires …

California first with law protecting children’s online privacy
2 years, 4 months ago

California first with law protecting children’s online privacy

LA Times  

Facebook parent company Meta said it has concerns about some of the law’s provisions but shares lawmakers’ goal of keeping children safe online. He noted that as a father of four, “I’m familiar with the real issues our children are experiencing online.” The bill requires tech companies that provide online services attractive to children to follow age-appropriate design code principles …

Discover Related