A new era in protecting young people on social media: The billion-dollar Meta lawsuit

A child opens an app and watches a video. Another piece of content they never searched for then appears on the screen. As the child continues scrolling, the stream of content goes on, while the algorithm continues learning what the user watches, what captures their interest, and how long they remain on the screen. This system lies at the heart of the controversy that has placed Meta at the center of lawsuits in the United States. Allegations that the company designed features intended to keep young people engaged on its platforms and failed to be sufficiently transparent about the risks children face have brought a years-long debate into the courtroom.

With Meta moving toward settlements, the debate has extended beyond multibillion-dollar payments. As numerous features from the amount of time young people spend on social media and nighttime access to beauty filters and personalized algorithms are being revised, the responsibility of platforms to protect children and young people has also become more visible. Prof. Başak Gezmen, Head of the Department of New Media and Communication at Istanbul Medipol University School of Communication, explained the debate underlying the Meta lawsuit and how the new restrictions could transform social media use in her remarks to Ülke TV.

“PLATFORM RESTRICTIONS ARE NOW A NECESSITY”
Emphasizing that Meta’s decision to settle should not be regarded solely as a legal decision, Gezmen offered the following assessment:

“For the first time, we are seeing a family achieve an outcome of this kind in a lawsuit resulting in a record level of compensation. This development is an important indication that restrictions on social media platforms have now become a necessity on a global scale.”

Addressing the importance of algorithmic and new media literacy, Gezmen emphasized that raising users’ awareness alone is not sufficient and that platforms must also assume responsibility in this process.

TWO-HOUR LIMIT FOR USERS UNDER 18
Stating that the new regulations will directly affect young users’ social media use, Gezmen identified daily usage time, nighttime access, and parental controls as some of the key areas of focus.

Emphasizing the need to strengthen parental control mechanisms, Gezmen said, “Access to platforms needs to take place within a framework of parental control. In addition, it is important to limit young users’ daily usage time and introduce measures concerning nighttime use.”

Gezmen also pointed out that a time limit alone may not be sufficient, stating, “Rather than focusing solely on how long users remain within the digital environment of social media, the question of what they are engaging with and what they are doing in that environment is becoming far more important.”

THE PRESSURE TO “LOOK PERFECT” AFFECTS YOUNG PEOPLE
Commenting on restrictions concerning beauty filters, Gezmen underlined that social media presents users with an idealized world of appearances and that this can have adverse effects, particularly on children and young people.

“The media presents users with a highly appealing world. In this environment, individuals may develop a desire to appear different from and better than they actually are.” Gezmen said, noting that this can also affect the way young people perceive and relate to themselves.

Gezmen also noted that social media can contribute to outcomes such as unhappiness, depressive effects, and dissatisfaction with oneself among young people, drawing attention to the fact that this environment can gradually foster homogenization. Stating that young people may compare themselves with others and develop a tendency to look and behave similarly, Gezmen said, “Everyone is trying to act like someone else, be like someone else, and look like someone else.”

“PERSONALIZED CONTENT” KEEPS USERS ON THE PLATFORM
Explaining that algorithms continuously present users with content shaped around their interests, Gezmen stated that personalized feeds can make it more difficult for users to disengage from platforms.

Gezmen said, “Personalized content refers to content that is tailored through algorithms to users’ interests and preferences. Because this content creates a world specifically tailored to the individual, users may find it increasingly difficult to resist it and disengage from the platform.”

Gezmen stated that the continuous scrolling mechanism increases engagement with platforms by presenting users with an uninterrupted stream of content tailored to their interests, adding that this structure reinforces the attention economy and can contribute to algorithmic dependency.

“META’S MOVE COULD MARK THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA”
Stating that Meta’s move could also influence other social media platforms, Gezmen said, “Meta’s move could mark the beginning of a new era for social media platforms.” adding that TikTok and YouTube could also face similar standards.

Emphasizing that similar initiatives have begun in Türkiye, Gezmen concluded by saying, “Restrictions on platforms can be reconsidered on a country-by-country basis, particularly with the aim of protecting young people and children.”