Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, reached an agreement with dozens of U.S. states in lawsuits that accused the company of designing its digital platforms to prolong use by children and adolescents, causing negative impacts on the health and well-being of these users. The value of the agreement may reach approximately $16 billion, but experts point out that the most relevant aspect is the company's assumption of regulatory obligations.
The central point of the agreement is not the financial value, but the obligations assumed by Meta regarding changes in the way its social networks operate, seeking greater protection for minors on its platforms.
The agreement should not be analyzed in isolation, but inserted into a broader movement to protect minors in the digital environment that has been gaining strength in multiple jurisdictions around the world.
The article characterizes the phenomenon as a "regulatory diffusion by benchmark," built in successive steps, driven by the consolidation of studies that have been reinforcing the global perception about the risks that social networks present for children and adolescents.
