Instagram harms kids and Meta knows it, new whistleblower says

Well, surprise, surprise (not really)- A former Meta employee, Arturo Béjar, has come forward, alleging that Meta (formerly Facebook) knew its platforms were harming children, but did not act on this information and tried to cover it up.
This situation underscores the need for effective legislation and raises questions about the ability of social media companies to self-regulate in the interest of user safety, particularly for children.

I’m so glad I grew up in a world without social media. I can’t even imagine the issues kids have been dealing with in the last 10-15 years and the impact this medium has had on their sense of self.

To our community members with kids: How do you approach social media use with your little ones?

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I think people increasingly want every aspect of their lives to be ‘legislated.’ I disagree with a life rooted in prohibitions without understanding their basis. I observe a shift in responsibility from parents to politicians, who often seem corrupt. This approach doesn’t seem right. Instead, I advocate for “awakening” parents and the need for a better educational system that currently is an outdated domain dominated by corporatism, elitism, and bureaucracy.

We need an effective educational system that focuses on the essentials of relevant disciplines rather than ideologies, promoting individual critical thinking. Moreover, we need responsible parents who instill values in their children and demonstrate the consequences of their behavior instead of just giving them a tablet to keep them quiet. This, I believe, is what we urgently need at the moment.

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Me to glad I grew up without it and glad I deactivated all my social media accounts, facebook, instagram ,twitter, you name it GONE. Serve no use to me

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Same here!

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I agree with you in spirit. On one hand hate legislating for the purpose of putting order into society & to safeguard people- especially when it comes to common sense behaviors.
While, laws provide a framework for safeguarding individuals from harm, both from others and from unfair practices (this includes protection against crimes, exploitation, and abuse.) laws can sometimes be seen as infringing on personal freedoms and individual autonomy, especially if they are overly restrictive or invasive.

There is always a risk that those in power may use legislation to advance their own interests or suppress dissent, rather than to serve the public good. PLUS- Overregulation can stifle innovation and economic growth, putting undue burdens on businesses and entrepreneurs.

In the end, it is important that laws are crafted and enforced in a manner that balances societal needs with individual rights and freedoms.

For example, we have age restrictions for buying/consuming alcohol & driving cars. I think we could start with something like that.

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