Outside the US, teens’ social media experiences are more tightly controlled

Teens are more protected on social media sites in many other parts of the world than they are in the US, from what they see to the data that’s collected about them.

Teens are more protected on social media sites in many other parts of the world than they are in the US, from what they see to the data that’s collected about them. In the US, federal legislation around these issues often moves slowly. In contrast, the European Union is changing the way kids experience the Internet. Other countries are taking notice as well. The pace at which laws are evolving overseas comes at a time when US lawmakers and parents are worrying more about the dangers of social media, and yet advocates say very little has been done in the US to make it safer for young people. Here’s a closer look at how child safety is regulated on social media platforms in other parts of the world. Last summer, the world’s largest tech companies – including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and Apple – were ordered to comply with a new European law called the Digital Services Act. Perhaps one of the biggest changes in the EU for children, as a result of the law, is that platforms are forbidden from targeting them with personalized advertising.