Meta settlement signals shift in social media industry

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - A landmark settlement with Meta could change how social media companies protect teens.

The settlement includes changes for teen users, including age verification, limited scrolling and fewer notifications during school.

Megan Shahi, Director of Technology Policy at the Center for American Progress and a former policy employee at Facebook and Instagram, said the settlement is different from past debates over social media because it focuses on how the platforms are designed, not just the content users see.

Shahi says features like infinite scrolling are central to the way social media companies keep people on their platforms, making the changes especially significant.

She also says the settlement could put pressure on other platforms, including TikTok and YouTube, to make similar changes.

Shahi says the next year will be important as Meta works to put the changes in place and the industry responds.