A Apple it’s at Google should be responsible for controlling children and adolescents’ access to social media, avoiding the exposure of minors to inappropriate content, according to Mark Zuckerberg. The head of Meta spoke about the matter during a United States Senate hearing on Wednesday (31).
According to the CEO of the owner of Facebook and Instagram, the iOS and Android app stores need to restrict these audiences’ access to posts that are inappropriate for their age groups, verifying the user’s age when downloading software. Thus, platforms would be obliged to notify parents, as they already do in the case of in-app purchases.
The executive also said that research carried out by his company indicates a similar feeling on the part of parents. I.e, those responsible for minors also believe that it is better for Apple and Google to manage the consent systemrather than the social networks themselves.
This is not the first time that Meta has made this type of suggestion to authorities, trying to place the two rival big techs as targets of American regulators. In November last year, an identical proposal was presented by the organization’s global head of security, Antigone Davis, suggesting parental approval for downloading certain apps.
Apology to families
At the hearing, which also included the participation of representatives from X/Twitter, Discord and TikTok, among other platforms, a video was shown in which children commented on bullying suffered on social media. The senators also recalled stories of young people who took their own lives after online abuse.
When asked about his company’s share of the blame in all these problems — one of the participants said he had “blood on his hands” — Zuckerberg apologized to people harmed by his platforms. Many family members also attended the hearing carrying images of their children.
“I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through. No one should have to go through the things their families have suffered and that is why we have invested so much and will continue to make efforts across the industry to ensure that no one has to go through the things their families have had to suffer.” relatives.