Statement on Meta’s New Messaging Settings for Teens

SAN FRANCISCO, January 25, 2024—Today, Meta announced updates to its messaging settings on Instagram and Facebook, following mounting pressure to protect children and teens from harmful content on its apps. James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, issued the following statement in response.

"Today's messaging updates from Meta are about as useless as a screen door on a submarine – they're misguided, ineffective adjustments to an inherently problematic product for kids. Teens can easily circumvent these updates by either following the adult who wants to contact them or simply changing the default setting. Through this announcement, Meta is yet again sending a message that the burden is on parents to monitor their kids' settings and messages, rather than making substantive changes to their product to protect children en masse. It is time for Meta — and Congress – to do what parents across the country say they want, which is to establish strong guardrails to protect their kids online."

About Common Sense
Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Learn more at commonsense.org.