tech
'Tech firms are losing the public': social media age bans near tipping point
UK is latest country to set minimum age for social media access but big tech is fighting back globally against curbs
TL;DR
- Governments worldwide are enacting minimum age laws for social media platforms, with the UK planning a ban for under-16s by spring 2027.
- Former Meta employee Arturo Béjar has voiced concerns, stating that parents universally dread their children going online due to preventable harms.
- Meta and other tech companies are appealing legal verdicts holding them liable for addictive product design and misleading safety claims.
- Big tech companies are spending substantial amounts on lobbying efforts in the EU and US to counter proposed regulations like the Kids Online Safety Act (Kosa).
- Despite tech industry resistance, public opinion and political will are increasingly favoring stricter social media regulations for minors.