Not far enough: US parents and teens weigh Meta’s new limits

The United States is up in arms after Meta agreed to pay $18bn to settle a lawsuit over its impact on children, finally loosening its app rules to curb teen use. The new limits—including a two‑hour daily cap, hidden like counts and deactivated autoplay—are designed to let families have more peace of mind.

Elizabeth Cardner, a mother of two girls in Houston, Texas, said it will stop some arguments at home but “doesn’t go far enough.” She added that a full ban would alienate her children from peers, a feeling echoed by many parents who admit they can’t fully protect their kids from the platforms they themselves use.

Cardner’s 14‑year‑old, Paige, welcomes the changes, hoping they’ll reduce “fake content.” She said, however, that AI will soon find new ways to bypass the filters, believing the fixes will only mount temporary barriers.

Andria Rose, a Boston mother, acknowledged Meta’s changes as “fantastic” yet remarked the tricks pandemic did for the industry remain. She criticised the settlement’s lack of comprehensive control by thinking, “they’re trying to limit the drug, but they’re not controlling the drug.”

The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by 29 states, claims Meta lied about addiction risks and pushed children’s data. The settlement now covers 48 states, the District of Columbia, and three territories.

Other voices say the company only offers half‑measures: a $5bn portion of the payout is withheld until other platforms like YouTube and TikTok agree to similar restrictions. One parent, Joanie Story, sees this as ‘petty’ but still welcomes the new controls after her sons saw graphic content on non‑Meta services.

Mark SooHoo, of the Wait Until 8th union, urges parents to sign a smartphone pledge rather than rely on corporate changes, claiming “a communal problem requires a communal solution.” He notes that many parents give kids phones to keep up but actually want to shield them from social media harm.

As the settlement passes, experts worry the rules might not keep pace with evolving AI tools and suggest wider regulatory reforms are needed.