Meta Steps Up for Child Online Safety: Zuckerberg to Testify as Company Tightens Privacy Controls

Meta Platforms Inc META has partnered with the Center for Open Science ahead of a crucial congressional hearing on children’s online safety. 

The Instagram and Facebook parent struggled to restrain a network of pedophile accounts. Instagram’s algorithms reportedly connected accounts involved in underage sex content creation and trading.  

This collaboration involves sharing “privacy-preserving social media data” with select researchers focusing on well-being. Meta’s VP of Research, Curtiss Cobb, emphasized their commitment to contributing to scientific understanding while respecting user privacy.

Also Read: Meta Blocks Adults From Messaging Teens They Don’t Follow To Make It Safe For Young Users

The company has faced increasing pressure from academics and Congress to provide more data for research, especially concerning social media’s impact on mental health. 

In response, Meta expanded access to data through the Meta Content Library, facilitating the analysis of public posts and interactions, TechCrunch reports.

Meta’s founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is set to testify before Congress on children’s online safety alongside leaders from other major social platforms. 

In anticipation, Meta has introduced new measures on Facebook and Instagram, including messaging restrictions for users under 16 and parental controls over privacy settings. 

The platform is also limiting exposure to harmful content related to self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders.

The urgency of these issues was further highlighted by a recent incident involving nonconsensual, pornographic deepfake images of Taylor Swift, which drew public and governmental attention.

Price Action: META shares traded higher by 0.47% at $402.90 premarket on the last check Tuesday.

Also Read: Facebook’s New Privacy Feature Faces Backlash Over Potential Abuse Risks

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo by Alexandros Michailidis on Shutterstock