Arturo Béjar, a former Meta engineer turned whistleblower, says parents around the world share a common dread: the day their children are old enough to go online.
Governments appear to be listening.
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This month, the UK became the latest country to announce a minimum age of 16 for accessing major social media platforms.
The move follows Australia's precedent last year, which imposed age limits on platforms including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, TikTok, and Snapchat.
Béjar, who testified in US trials that ruled Meta liable for designing addictive products, said: “I’ve spoken to parents from several countries, and I have yet to meet a parent of young kids who is not dreading when they’re old enough to go online.
Or a young person who has not experienced something awful and preventable.”
Meta disagreed with the verdicts and plans to appeal.
A spokesperson stated that the issue of teenagers’ mental health is “profoundly complex” and that the company remains committed to building “safe, supportive environments for young people.”
Growing Momentum for Restrictions
Indonesia and Malaysia have introduced bans for under-16s on certain platforms. Austria, France, and Norway are also considering age restrictions.
Brazil has implemented a blanket mobile phone ban in schools, and children under 16 can only access social media if linked to a parent’s account.
The UK plans to enforce its ban by spring 2027. Canada will bar under-16s from platforms unless adequate safeguards are in place.
