WASHINGTON—Following a landmark Los Angeles verdict finding Meta and YouTube liable for platform design features that harmed a young user, and a separate ruling in New Mexico finding Meta violated state law regarding consumer safety, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, released the following statement from Senior Policy Manager Ash Johnson:
Due to a vacuum left by Congress, courts are stepping in to shape children's online safety—but litigation is an inefficient and inconsistent way to do it. These cases are part of a growing wave of legal pressure on social media platforms over the safety of young users, but a state-by-state, case-by-case approach to children’s online safety risks creating policies that have conflicting compliance obligations, overreach on free speech, and fail to address all the real harms children face online.
Policymakers should not allow litigation to replace regulation. Instead of letting precedent slowly build over years of expensive trials or a patchwork of state laws, Congress should pass a single federal law that prioritizes easy-to-use parental controls and reasonable, targeted measures to address specific harms to children.
Contact: Nicole Hinojosa, [email protected]
