Tech companies like Meta need to do more to protect children online from sexual predators, self-harm

While Instagram is my happy place, for others social media is a dark, depressing and dangerous place. This week has been a wake-up call.

OPINION: I love Instagram’s algorithm because it feeds me the perfect mix of silly dogs, comedy, healthy recipes and fitness inspo.

But some, especially young people, are having a very different experience.

However much I enjoy some mindless me time on the bus home from work, the idea I’m helping line Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg’s pockets is becoming increasingly unpalatable.

There’s no doubt social media companies are failing to protect minors.

Ask the parents of kids who didn’t make it?

Angel Almeida 22, an alleged member of the satanic cult targeting kids online. Picture courtesy of Department of Justice

Tilly Rosewarne, 15, from Bathhurst, took her life after bullies spread fake porn on Snapchat.

This week I’ve been listening to a podcast about the tragic case of Molly Russell, 14. The UK teen killed herself after being exposed to a stream of dark, depressing content on Pinterest and Instagram.

Her father Ian told an inquest, “It’s a ghetto of the online world that once you fall into it, the algorithm means you can’t escape it and it keeps recommending more content”.

Last weekend I wrote about a NSW teenager who was sucked in by an online cult, and blackmailed into providing sexual content. Some of the pictures and videos are still on Discord and Telegram, despite the links being reported to the platforms last year.

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta, was quizzed by a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, about how harmful content may be damaging young people's mental health. Picture: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg

Add to that posts encouraging eating disorders and unrealistic beauty standards and it’s no wonder we have a youth mental health crisis.

All the platforms say they are employing thousands of people to monitor safety - but it is simply not enough. Meta - which owns Facebook and Instagram - made US$34 billion dollars last year. We should all be more outraged.

The problem is what to do about it because that magic algorithm has hooked us all?

Last month I set a timer for all my social media. I’m down to around 12 minutes a day, just enough to connect with my real friends - and plenty of time to look out of the window.

Originally published as Tech companies like Meta need to do more to protect children online from sexual predators, self-harm