All articles tagged with #childrens safety
Four whistleblowers allege that Meta suppressed research on children's safety, altered policies to hide sensitive findings, and discouraged employees from discussing minors' use of Meta's VR platforms, raising concerns about the company's handling of youth safety and privacy issues.
A federal judge ruled that Mark Zuckerberg is not personally liable in over two dozen lawsuits alleging that Facebook and Instagram are addictive to children and pose health risks. The plaintiffs, including parents and school districts, claim Meta concealed these risks. However, the judge found insufficient evidence to hold Zuckerberg personally accountable. The lawsuits against Meta continue, with plaintiffs seeking to prove that the company prioritized profits over children's safety. This ruling comes amid global scrutiny of social media's impact on youth.
Australia plans to introduce a groundbreaking ban on social media access for children under 16, citing concerns over mental and physical health risks. The proposed legislation, which includes stringent age-verification methods, aims to be the toughest globally, with no exemptions for parental consent or existing accounts. The initiative has received support from the opposition and will place the responsibility on social media platforms to enforce the ban. Critics argue it may drive youth to unregulated online spaces, advocating instead for balanced approaches to digital safety.
The Florida Senate has passed a bill that would prohibit children under 16 from using social media, which now awaits approval from the House of Representatives and Governor Ron DeSantis. While concerns about enforcement and constitutionality persist, proponents argue that social media has detrimental effects on children's mental health, leading to cyberbullying and addiction. Opponents argue that it's the parents' responsibility to monitor their children's social media use, not the state's, and that the bill may contradict parental rights efforts.
The CEOs of major tech companies are testifying in a hearing about allegations of failing to protect children from abuse on their platforms, as senators aim to push for bipartisan bills that would increase tech companies' liability and require stronger safety features for kids. This comes amid government efforts to address online harms to children, with three executives appearing on Capitol Hill for the first time after subpoenas were issued for their testimony due to alleged lack of cooperation with oversight requests.
Alliance4Safety and 31 furniture companies have recalled millions of plastic New Age Furniture tip restraint kits due to tip-over and entrapment hazards to children. The plastic zip tie used in the kits can become brittle or break, posing a risk of detachment during a furniture tip-over event. Consumers are advised to check for a date of manufacture sticker and contact Alliance4Safety for a free replacement if the kit is made of plastic. No injuries have been reported, and the recall affects products sold nationwide and online from November 2019 onwards.
Neurologist Dr. Puja Aggarwal shared a viral TikTok video revealing the four activities she would never let her children do due to potential brain damage: playing American football, riding an ATV, jumping on a trampoline, and shooting a gun. She explained that these activities can lead to concussions, head injuries, and even chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Dr. Aggarwal emphasized the importance of protecting the brain and avoiding activities that could harm it.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has issued subpoenas to the CEOs of Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter), Snap, and Discord to testify before Christmas regarding the risks of social media for children. The committee aims to address the failure of Big Tech to protect kids online and combat online child sexual exploitation. While Meta (formerly Facebook) and TikTok are expected to testify voluntarily, Discord and X allegedly refused to cooperate, requiring the U.S. Marshals Service to personally serve the subpoenas. This marks the first time X's CEO Linda Yaccarino will testify before Congress. House Republicans have also pressed TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over pro-Hamas content on the platform.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has approved new mandatory safety standards for dressers and other clothing storage units sold in the U.S. to protect children up to 72 months old from unstable furniture. The new rule, which replaces the previous standard, was devised by the standards organization ASTM and has the backing of both consumer groups and furniture manufacturers. The final rule will take effect 120 days after it's published in the Federal Register.