An Open Letter to TikTok and YouTube to Join Us in Supporting Teens
Meta urges TikTok and YouTube to adopt industry-wide parental controls to better protect teens online, following a bipartisan agreement with 52 U.S. attorneys general.
Meta has announced a bipartisan agreement with 52 attorneys general to establish industry-wide parental empowerment measures for teens. The initiative aims to introduce consistent safeguards across platforms, ensuring parents have tools to monitor and manage their children’s online activity. Meta emphasizes that these protections require collaboration with other major platforms to be effective, as teens often migrate to alternative apps if restrictions are imposed on one. The company calls on TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar standards to create a unified approach to teen safety.
The agreement follows Meta’s longstanding efforts to support parents and teens, building on existing tools like supervision controls and screen time limits. Meta highlights that fragmented policies across platforms undermine safety efforts, as teens can bypass restrictions by switching services. By aligning with TikTok and YouTube, the company seeks to standardize protections, making it easier for parents to enforce consistent rules regardless of the platform their child uses. The move reflects a broader industry push for shared responsibility in safeguarding adolescent users.
Meta stresses that meaningful progress in teen safety depends on collective action rather than isolated efforts. The company acknowledges that while its own tools are robust, they are insufficient without similar measures from competitors. By publicly urging TikTok and YouTube to join, Meta positions itself as a leader in advocating for industry-wide accountability in digital safety for minors.
The bipartisan group of attorneys general represents states, territories, and the District of Columbia, signaling broad political support for the initiative. Meta frames the agreement as a step toward establishing a new industry standard, though it acknowledges the need for peer platforms to adopt comparable protections. The company’s call to action underscores the challenges of regulating a fragmented digital landscape where teens’ online behavior transcends individual platforms.