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Meta, ByteDance’s TikTok and Google’s YouTube already face hundreds of lawsuits filed on behalf of children and school districts about the addictive nature of social media. Last year, 33 U.S. states including California and New York sued the company for misleading the public about the dangers of its platforms.

Top platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, allow users who are 13 years of age and above to sign up.

Meta’s move comes three years after it abandoned development on a version of the Instagram app meant for teenagers, after lawmakers and advocacy groups urged the company to drop it, citing safety concerns.

In July, the U.S. Senate advanced two online safety bills - The Kids Online Safety Act and The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act - that would force social media companies to take responsibility for how their platforms affect children and teens.

Teens outside the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia and the European Union will start to get teen accounts in January.

Reuters

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