YouTube rejects calls to join Meta-backed child safety settlement

Yesterday 17:14

By: Azzat Manal

YouTube rejects calls to join Meta-backed child safety settlement

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has rejected the idea of the video-sharing platform joining a multistate settlement reached by Meta over allegations concerning the impact of social media on children and teenagers.

Speaking to journalists during YouTube’s annual Made on YouTube event, Mohan said the company had been investing in measures designed to protect younger users for years and intended to continue strengthening its approach to online safety.

Meta recently agreed to an $18 billion settlement with several US states following allegations that its platforms were designed in ways that encouraged excessive use and contributed to concerns over young people’s mental health. The agreement has prompted calls for other major technology companies, including YouTube and TikTok, to introduce comparable safeguards.

Among the measures associated with the settlement are restrictions on teenagers’ time spent on platforms, changes to engagement features such as “like” counts on teen accounts and independent monitoring of companies’ child-safety practices.

Mohan argued that YouTube already provides tools intended to give parents greater control over their children’s online activity. These include parental controls that can limit the amount of time teenagers spend watching YouTube Shorts, the platform’s short-form video service.

The YouTube chief also highlighted the company’s consultations with independent experts when developing features aimed at protecting younger audiences. He emphasized that YouTube operates differently from Meta’s social networking platforms, pointing to its role as a video and streaming service.

The dispute comes amid growing scrutiny of the technology industry over the potential effects of digital platforms on children and adolescents. Regulators, parents and school districts across the United States have increasingly raised concerns about excessive screen use, online content and features designed to encourage prolonged engagement.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has previously indicated that states could consider further legal action against platforms that decline to adopt measures similar to those included in Meta’s agreement. TikTok has not publicly committed to joining the settlement.

The legal pressure follows a March ruling in Los Angeles in which a jury found Meta and YouTube liable in a case involving allegations that their platforms contributed to addiction and mental health problems experienced by a young user. Both companies have said they plan to appeal the decision.

YouTube has maintained that the ruling failed to reflect the nature of its service, describing the platform as a streaming and video service rather than a conventional social network. The company has also reached a separate settlement in another case involving a teenage user, while TikTok and Snap settled related claims.

Despite a number of individual settlements, major technology companies continue to face numerous lawsuits filed by families, individuals and school districts over alleged harm to young users. The growing legal scrutiny is putting additional pressure on platforms to demonstrate how their products are designed to protect children while balancing safety measures with access to online content.