The UK government expects Meta to introduce the same child safety protections in Britain as those agreed in the US, following a court settlement that could cost the company up to $18 billion (£13 billion).
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said on Thursday that he did not want young people in the US to have “a higher rate of protection” than those in Britain.
Under the US settlement, Meta has agreed to introduce a default daily limit of two hours for users under 18. The limit can only be lifted by a parent.
The company will also introduce a default block for under-18s between midnight and 6am. Notifications will also be blocked by default during overnight hours and the school day.
Some of the measures agreed in the US are not currently included in the UK’s proposed restrictions. These include preventing under-18s from displaying numbers of likes or reactions and blocking cosmetic procedure image filters.
Analysts have noted that many of the measures fall within changes Meta has already been required to introduce in other markets.
Meta has also called on TikTok and YouTube to adopt the same standards, saying this would help ensure teenagers use social media in a healthy and responsible way.
Asked by Sky News whether he expected Meta to introduce the new safety features in the UK, McFadden said: “Yes, we would. We don’t want a situation where young people in America have got a higher rate of protection than young people in the UK.”
The UK government announced in June that an Australia-style ban on social media for children under 16 would come into force by early 2027.
The government also announced in July that 16- and 17-year-olds would receive default overnight curfews from midnight to 6am on social media apps. Features designed to encourage users to keep scrolling for longer will also be switched off by default.
McFadden confirmed that the social media restrictions would come into force next year. He also backed the overnight curfews and said: “We’ve got to do something about this endless scrolling, which is so addictive for young people.”
Governments around the world are increasingly restricting children’s access to social media because of concerns about online harms.
Indonesia began blocking children under 16 from accessing most social media platforms in March. Malaysia followed with similar measures in June.
France passed a law banning social media access for under-15s in July, while Turkey has also passed legislation introducing similar restrictions. Restrictions are also being considered in 19 other countries, according to the Tech Policy Press non-profit organisation.
The Meta settlement brought an early end to a trial in Oakland, California. Lawyers representing 29 US states had accused Meta of concealing internal research showing that Instagram was addictive for teenagers.
Legal experts, including Cornell University professor James Grimmelmann, described the settlement as “a sign of vulnerability on Meta’s part”.
The settlement has also prompted calls for the UK government to take stronger action against social media companies. Critics have argued that the UK’s 2023 Online Safety Act, enforced by Ofcom, has had limited impact.
The Molly Rose Foundation, established by the father of Molly Russell, called on the UK government to “seize this opportunity to deliver a reset to children’s online safety”.
“Andy Burnham has now seen that it is possible to take on big tech to address drivers of online harm,” a spokesperson said. “It’s time for the UK government to be brave, bold and decisive in ways it hasn’t been before.”
Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrats’ spokesperson for children and families, said: “If a US court can pressure Meta into making significant changes to its platforms, why is our government still relying on optional curfews, strongly worded statements and unworkable bans?”
Experts have also questioned whether Meta’s new measures will address the underlying problems with compulsive or addictive app design, which critics argue contributes to social media-related harms.
