In response to the deluge of criticism it has received following documents and statements from whistleblower Frances Haugen, Facebook has unveiled new safety procedures for Instagram. Lately, Mark Zuckerberg also made a statement against those claims, saying: “That’s just not true.”
Facebook brings new security tools for teens on Instagram
In an interview with CNN’s State of the Union, On Sunday, Nick Clegg, Instagram’s vice president of global affairs, announced that Facebook would be implementing three new security tools to assist enhance the experience of vulnerable teens on the platform. The firm will give parents the option of monitoring what their children do online if they want to, “nudge” people who share harmful things, and urge teens to “take a break” from Instagram.
Adam Mosseri suggested that security measures may be a good idea for Instagram. But, he announced that the company was pausing work on a version of the app for kids under 13. The measures are now part of Facebook’s plan going forward.
Nick Clegg commented on the subject: “We can’t change human nature. You always compare yourself to others, particularly those who are more fortunate to yourself, but we can do is change our product, which is exactly what we’re doing.”
During the interview, Clegg tried to reframe Facebook’s issue as a societal problem that must be addressed together, and he also emphasized the firm’s position that Instagram is a good experience for the “overwhelming majority” of kids who use it and suffer from sleeplessness, anxiety, or depression.
Facebook invested $13 billion in security
Clegg pointed out Facebook’s $13 billion investment in security which is “more than the total revenue of Twitter over the last four years,” against Haugen’s claims implying Facebook to prioritize the financial well-being of its users over their mental health on the platform.
Clegg: “As I say, we cannot with the wave of a wand make everyone’s life perfect. What we can do is improve our products so that our products are as safe and as enjoyable to use.”
In conclusion, he emphasized that the company has 40,000 people, almost twice the number of employees on Capitol Hill, who are focused on these concerns.
