tech
Meta's $18 billion settlement leaves out the child protections New Mexico already won at trial, its Attorney General says
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, whose office won the first jury verdict against Meta over child safety anywhere in the country, told Fortune the settlement Meta struck this week with 51 other attorneys general doesn’t go as far as what his state already secured on its own.
TL;DR
- New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez stated that Meta's recent $18 billion settlement with 51 attorneys general does not go as far as protections his state previously secured in court.
- Torrez's office won a jury verdict against Meta, resulting in approximately $942 million in penalties for violations related to child safety.
- The nationwide settlement requires Meta to implement measures such as a default two-hour daily time limit, a nighttime block, muted notifications during school hours, hidden like counts, a ban on certain filters, and stronger age verification.
- Child advocacy groups like Fairplay expressed disappointment that the settlement doesn't disable recommendation algorithms that connect kids to predators and noted that financial penalties are insufficient.
- The Center for Democracy and Technology raised concerns about potential privacy and free expression risks due to invasive age assurance measures.
- Experts suggest the settlement could be a turning point, potentially leading to more changes across the social media industry and influencing federal legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).
- Torrez and other advocates emphasize that comprehensive federal legislation is necessary to ensure consistent and robust child safety protections online.