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Meta suddenly cares about kids

Why the social media giant is trying to rope its competitors into a settlement.

For years, parents across the country have been calling on Congress to do something about social media’s harmful effects on children. And typically, when something does happen, it follows a familiar pattern.

The billionaire tech CEOs are summoned to Congress. The grieving parents of children who have self-harmed bring old photos of their children, some of whom are now deceased, and relive their experiences. Lawmakers confront the tech company leaders with horrific stories of exploitation, eating disorders, drug overdoses, and suicide. The CEOs apologize. They promise to do better and point to their latest parental controls. Congress introduces child-safety bills. And the bills get stalled.

Worried about a child or teen’s mental well-being? Here are some online resources to learn more about symptoms, treatment strategies, and how to help.

Effective Child Therapy is a resource from the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. The website has information on the emotional concerns, symptoms, and disorders that commonly impact teens (divorce, bullying, body image, anxiety, depression, and more) — and the evidence-based therapies that can help.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has information for parents on how to spot symptoms of mental health issues, and where to seek help.

The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds has educational articles on mental health issues, as well as many links for where to turn when searching for particular support groups, programs, and therapies.

The Crisis Text Line is a text messaging-based service for people enduring “any type of crisis.” And the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a phone-based service.

The Trevor Project is a crisis helpline for LGBTQ youth. It can be reached at 1-866-488-7386.

But since Congress has so far failed to regulate social media, parents and state attorneys general are trying a different tactic. They’re suing.

The lawsuits don’t target dangerous content on platforms, though. Instead, they go after the apps themselves: features like infinite scroll, constant notifications, and beauty filters that make it all but impossible for teens to put their phones down.

So far, the strategy is working. Last week, only a few days into a trial over whether Meta deliberately tried to make young users addicted to their apps, the company reached a landmark settlement with nearly every US state (and Washington, DC).

Then Meta did something strange. The company spun their punishment into an advertising campaign. They wrote a full-page “open letter” that presented the company as a leader in protecting teens and young people. They also challenged their........

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