Technology

cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1137331/meta-deploys-momfluencers-to-counter-child-safety-criticism-meta-is-using-instagram-infl

• Meta invites the moms to glossy events promoting its "Teen Account" safeguards, and the influencers then repeat the company’s talking points to their thousands of followers.
• Many of the influencer posts include easy-to-miss disclosures or hashtags indicating they have a paid partnership with Meta.
• TTP also identified doctors and psychologists who are touting Instagram’s Teen Accounts and have a financial relationship with Meta.
• Despite Meta's promotion of the Teen Accounts, reports have shown that they fail to protect young users from content related to sex, drugs, and violence.
• Some influencers are also advocating for one of Meta's top policy priorities: legislation to require the Apple and Google app stores to handle user age verification.
• One medical influencer who was paid to post about the Teen Accounts said they had not been aware of child safety lawsuits against Meta and felt "manipulated" by the company.
• The influencer said Meta edited the script for their Teen Accounts post and gave it an algorithmic boost, helping it rack up millions of views.