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Written by
5Rights
8th January, 2025

Meta’s rollback on safety measures puts children at risk 

This week, Meta announced it will rollback on existing safety measures on Facebook and Instagram in a move which seriously increases the risk of harm to children on these services.  

An image of a glass office building. The lights are on, and blinds open at various lengths. The image appears to have been taken in the evening, as the sky has a darkening blueish hue. Attached to the outside of the building is a blue infinity logo with the company name 'Meta', which sits across the lower middle of the top floor.

The changes, which will see the current system of automated content moderation and independent factcheckers replaced by a system of ‘Community Notes’, is a significant and concerning reversal which will have implications for the millions of children that use these services. This is the latest in a series of moves within the tech industry to shirk accountability and ignore a global tide of regulatory moves to protect users –particularly children.   

The announcement comes just a month after 5Rights escalated legal action against Meta over its failure to tackle the spread of AI-generated child sexual abuse material on Instagram.  

Impact on children

In a press release issued by the tech company, Meta has said it will “rely on someone reporting an issue” before action is taken. Research shows that while 3-in-4 children are aware of these tools, they often question whether they should take the steps to report as they feel it rarely leads to take-downs. This is yet another example of the tech industry’s failure to consider the impact of their actions on children. 

Reporting mechanisms can serve as helpful tool but by rolling back systems intended to manage risks and by placing the onus on children, Meta will actively expose them to even more harmful content. The company has openly admitted that the changes mean it will “catch less bad stuff” on its services. 

Meta’s decision also has implications regarding the dissemination of mis- and disinformation on its services. Children are uniquely vulnerable to this risk owing to their still-developing cognitive abilities, with research illustrating a connection between misinformation and online radicalisation. 

5Rights will monitor the changes closely and will seek clarity with regulators globally about how Meta’s decision holds up against laws and regulations designed to keep children safe.