Protester showing names and ages of social media victims
Fox 17 News
Meta's New Limitations
SEPTEMBER 14, 2026, 8:00 A.M.
The new Meta settlement for up to 17.1 billion dollars with the United States raises an issuee of who is accountable for teens’ safety while using social media.The deal makes it evident that tech companies have to take the primary responsibility, and are under scrutiny to do so.
The settlement requires from Meta the implementation of measures such as a two hour daily limit for users under 18, night time lockout, as well as reducing the amount of notifications that go off in the classroom. There is no question that tech companies are primarily responsible because they design the platforms. It is these firms that decide what features to include and how to operate content algorithms.
EBHS Senior Joseph Samaan said, “These algorithms only show users what they want to see, which could give uneducated teenagers a biased perspective on certain topics”.
In the case some features contribute to excessive time spent by teenagers, it is necessary that the companies producing these platforms make changes.
This is why the deal with Meta demands platform modification rather than a complete cut off of teenagers on social media.
Parents and schools cannot be considered free of responsibility, however EBHS Junior Aaradhyaa Vats, agreed that the blame must be shared: “Teens don’t really have access to social media without parents’ approval, so it’s not like they don’t contribute to the cause,” she said.
She’s right, as well.Parents can put limits and use parental controls, or deny access altogether. Furthermore, schools should teach safe use of social media to students and educate them about problematic algorithms. Moreover, Meta’s deal explicitly states the importance of a parents’ role in limiting their children's use of social media. This does not mean however that teenagers shouldn’t be accountable for their decisions.They should realize their habits and make appropriate choices..
Meta’s response to increased social media use by teenagers shows that protection of teenagers from social media should be a joint effort; nevertheless, technology companies are mainly accountable for the safety of teens on social media.
