Social media giant Meta has taken several strong steps to protect the safety of children and teenagers using Instagram. These steps have been taken in view of some recent complaints. Meta has recently confirmed the matter. News TechCrunch.
Tech giants have long been criticized for failing to protect young users from harmful content. And because of the huge popularity of Instagram among the younger generation, it is at the forefront of the list of critics.
In addition to Instagram, Meta also owns Facebook and WhatsApp. From now on, parents and guardians will be able to set a time limit for their children's use of Instagram, the organization said.
In addition, young users will be prompted to focus on other topics if they spend too much time behind the content of a particular topic.
"It's important for us to create new tools that respect the privacy and privacy of young people," said Clotilde Bryand, Meter's public policy manager, at a news briefing. He also stressed the importance of involving parents in this initiative.
Last year, a former Meter employee named Francis Hughes leaked several documents to the company. This indicates that the executives of the company knew that it could be harmful to the mental health of young users, especially teenagers. Even after knowing the matter, Meta did not take any initiative to remedy it. The people concerned did not even open their mouths about this. Instagram has come under fire after such allegations surfaced.
However, Meta has repeatedly denied the allegations. However, since the allegations and documents were leaked, Metak has had to face several steps of investigation by the US Congress. After that, the organization indicated to take appropriate measures for the safety of young users.
Meanwhile, other apps, including the video-sharing platform TikTok, have also come under fire for the same reason. It has been alleged that it is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to view content shared on these apps. Based on these allegations, TickTock announced last week that from now on, young users will be prompted to take a break after using TickTock for a specified period of time.
Meanwhile, Meta has also announced new steps in the field of virtual reality headsets. Users' parents and guardians can block apps on their children's phones if they wish. Parents can also monitor what their children are watching on the headset or using an app through another device. You can also see how much time is being spent on the phone.