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Meta Calls for App Stores to Enforce Parental Approvals
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The Spin
Narrative A
Meta has intentionally worked to attract younger users — so far as introducing harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that addict teens and compromise their mental health — as it competes with rival apps such as Snapchat and TikTok. The tech giant needs to do more — like devote adequate resources and staff to safeguarding its most vulnerable users — to protect teens using its platforms rather than pass the buck to parents and app stores.
Narrative B
While implementing tighter controls and processes to stop teens from downloading apps without a parent's approval isn't a foolproof plan, it may be time that the app stores used their gatekeeping power for a broader purpose. Placing the responsibility for parental controls on app stores could add another level of protection, which could facilitate more security and help preserve potentially sensitive identifying information.