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Meta's Teen Accounts Are Sugar Pills for Parents, Not Safety for Kids

keanb 1y ago
This is a bit one-sided innit. It doesn’t include the explanation given by Meta, just their rejection of the claims.
- JohnMakin 1y ago
  They don't give an explanation, just say the the researchers' claims are wrong. Here is the quoted article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce32w7we01eo https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce32w7we01eo
softwaredoug 1y ago
Is there anyone else like me that just has teens disinterested in social media? My teen spends a lot of time online, but mostly its group texts / chats with friends.
- paxys 1y ago
  Do you define TikTok and Snapchat as social media? Because teens are definitely interested in those.
- kellystonelake 1y ago
  Over 20% of adolescents met criteria for “pathological” or addictive social media use, with an additional ~70% at risk of mild compulsive use. Teens themselves often recognize the problem—many say social media makes them feel “addicted” or unable to stop scrolling, even when it negatively affects their mood. The Surgeon General highlighted that teens commonly report social media makes them feel worse “but they can’t get off of it“
  - softwaredoug 1y ago
    One lilfehack a parent told me about -- instead of buying your kid a phone, buy them a cellular capable smart watch they can still text / call to some extent.
cynicalsecurity 1y ago
I don't quite understand why those activists expect companies to watch kids. It's parents' job. Facebook and Instagram are like big malls. Don't leave your child unattended. A mall is not a kindergarten. Educate parents on how they can protect their kids and make them responsible for it. That is how it's supposed to work. Now internet companies are forced to become nannies for both children and their parents, this is ridiculous. And we must suffer with the the UK fascist laws regarding internet and upcoming EU chat control nonsense because some parents can't watch their children.
- pjc50 1y ago
  Do people think it is practical to watch children 24/7, including while the child is at school and the parent is at work?
  - bonoboTP 1y ago
    Half their ailments are from social media, the other half from obsessive helicopter parenting.
- kellystonelake 1y ago
  Meta markets products as safe for kids and offers products to reinforce this for parents and regulators but they’re not actually keeping kids safe. Meanwhile, kids die. That’s less an issue of parenting and more one of corporate responsibility.
Argonaut998 1y ago
I generally hate social media and their antics but the one thing I’m taking their side on, is this. Children’s exposure to content on the internet is a parenting issue. It is impossible for Meta, ByteDance etc to filter any and all possible content that may not be suitable for minors. Parents should know that. Zuckerberg famously doesn’t (didn’t?) let his children use Facebook. Perhaps everyone else should take a hint.
- pjc50 1y ago
  How is it possible for parents of average technological ability and limited means to do what a multi billion dollar platform cannot?
  - Argonaut998 1y ago
    My parents didn’t know how to turn on a PC or use a phone and they knew what I was looking at or talking to until I was 16 years old. There are all kinds of services that parents can use now to filter this even further than what was possible 10-15 years ago
    - kellystonelake 1y ago
      The point of this research is that these services are often ineffective at "filtering" yet, as your comment demonstrates, makes people (parents, regulators) feel like the platforms are more safe.
      - Argonaut998 1y ago
        Parents should be mature enough to not take a scandalous social media company too seriously without any scrutiny. Note I’m not saying that Facebook don’t profit from being as ineffectual as possible, but ultimately that parents should know better.
        a456463 1y ago
        I think it is wild for people to understand what you are saying. Taking responsibility for your children instead of finding excuses. I had full internet access growing up and still I new better.
tartoran 1y ago
Social media is toxic for adults and especially for children. Parents should get themselves off social media and then children will likely follow suit.

This is a bit one-sided innit. It doesn’t include the explanation given by Meta, just their rejection of the claims.

JohnMakin 1y ago
They don't give an explanation, just say the the researchers' claims are wrong. Here is the quoted article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce32w7we01eo https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce32w7we01eo

Is there anyone else like me that just has teens disinterested in social media? My teen spends a lot of time online, but mostly its group texts / chats with friends.

paxys 1y ago
Do you define TikTok and Snapchat as social media? Because teens are definitely interested in those.
kellystonelake 1y ago
Over 20% of adolescents met criteria for “pathological” or addictive social media use, with an additional ~70% at risk of mild compulsive use. Teens themselves often recognize the problem—many say social media makes them feel “addicted” or unable to stop scrolling, even when it negatively affects their mood. The Surgeon General highlighted that teens commonly report social media makes them feel worse “but they can’t get off of it“
- softwaredoug 1y ago
  One lilfehack a parent told me about -- instead of buying your kid a phone, buy them a cellular capable smart watch they can still text / call to some extent.

cynicalsecurity 1y ago

I don't quite understand why those activists expect companies to watch kids. It's parents' job. Facebook and Instagram are like big malls. Don't leave your child unattended. A mall is not a kindergarten. Educate parents on how they can protect their kids and make them responsible for it. That is how it's supposed to work. Now internet companies are forced to become nannies for both children and their parents, this is ridiculous. And we must suffer with the the UK fascist laws regarding internet and upcoming EU chat control nonsense because some parents can't watch their children.

pjc50 1y ago
Do people think it is practical to watch children 24/7, including while the child is at school and the parent is at work?
- bonoboTP 1y ago
  Half their ailments are from social media, the other half from obsessive helicopter parenting.
kellystonelake 1y ago
Meta markets products as safe for kids and offers products to reinforce this for parents and regulators but they’re not actually keeping kids safe. Meanwhile, kids die. That’s less an issue of parenting and more one of corporate responsibility.

Argonaut998 1y ago

I generally hate social media and their antics but the one thing I’m taking their side on, is this. Children’s exposure to content on the internet is a parenting issue. It is impossible for Meta, ByteDance etc to filter any and all possible content that may not be suitable for minors. Parents should know that. Zuckerberg famously doesn’t (didn’t?) let his children use Facebook. Perhaps everyone else should take a hint.

pjc50 1y ago
How is it possible for parents of average technological ability and limited means to do what a multi billion dollar platform cannot?
- Argonaut998 1y ago
  My parents didn’t know how to turn on a PC or use a phone and they knew what I was looking at or talking to until I was 16 years old. There are all kinds of services that parents can use now to filter this even further than what was possible 10-15 years ago
  - kellystonelake 1y ago
    The point of this research is that these services are often ineffective at "filtering" yet, as your comment demonstrates, makes people (parents, regulators) feel like the platforms are more safe.
    - Argonaut998 1y ago
      Parents should be mature enough to not take a scandalous social media company too seriously without any scrutiny. Note I’m not saying that Facebook don’t profit from being as ineffectual as possible, but ultimately that parents should know better.
      - a456463 1y ago
        I think it is wild for people to understand what you are saying. Taking responsibility for your children instead of finding excuses. I had full internet access growing up and still I new better.

tartoran 1y ago

Social media is toxic for adults and especially for children. Parents should get themselves off social media and then children will likely follow suit.