Zuckerberg says Meta was too slow to act on underage Instagram users
Mark Zuckerberg expressed regret over Meta’s delayed response to underage users on Instagram during a high-profile trial. The CEO faced tough questions about the company’s efforts to keep children under 13 off the platform. Zuckerberg acknowledged improvements but admitted he wished action had come sooner. The trial centers on whether Meta and other platforms are responsible for mental health issues among young users.
What we know
- Mark Zuckerberg testified in a California trial, facing criticism for Meta’s handling of underage Instagram users.
- He admitted that verifying users’ ages was a challenge and said improvements have been made, but not quickly enough.
- Zuckerberg argued that age verification should be managed at the smartphone level by companies like Apple and Google.
- Internal documents revealed millions of under-13 users on Instagram and highlighted company goals to increase user time on the app.
- The trial will decide if Meta and Google are responsible for mental health problems linked to social media use among young people.
