Meta & Children's Online Safety

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Published hearing exchange

Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis (QFR Responses)

Testimony

Questioner: Mike Lee

Harm: Child sexual exploitationHarm: Suicide & self-injuryHarm: Body image & eating disordersDesign feature: Content AlgorithmInitiative: Content Moderation
Q. · Question

Mike Lee

A. · Response

Respondent not recorded

QuestionLee asks why Meta allows 16-17-year-olds to view "sensitive" sexually suggestive content when it already restricts such content for younger teens.

ResponseMeta explains it distinguishes content by age tier based on expert consultation and uses default "Sensitive Content Control" restrictions (99% of teens remain on the most restrictive default setting a year later), but does not directly justify why 16-17-year-olds are permitted to view sexually suggestive "sensitive" content.