Social media thread

[al_keda]

[Dr Strangelove]

Meta’s $18 Billion Settlement (0:00 - 5:52):

Meta has agreed to a settlement worth up to $18 billion to resolve lawsuits regarding the alleged addiction and harm its platforms cause to children.
The settlement mandates significant platform changes for users under 18, including a 2-hour daily time limit and a "night mode" that blocks app access between midnight and 6 a.m.
Meta is calling on YouTube and TikTok to implement similar safety frameworks.

[al_keda]

They didn't "agree" to shit. They were forced to give up an hour of Zuckerberg's pay because of all the children they helped kill.

Nothing will fucking change, because they are still allowed to gather information on everyone, and profit from that information.

[hitest]

I've recently taken Gander for a spin. It's a Canadian social media company that *does* allow you to post news stories and it's not infested with AI and advertising. Better than the Metaverse.

[Dr Strangelove]

Been on Gander since beta. It's got a long road to hoe. Frankly, it's reinventing the wheel but it might do ok but be niche. Eh! and Hey Cafe' seem to have more of a grass roots pull and I find a lot of great Canadian content there. Upscrolled is the non-US instagram, not my thing but from what I seen it was very pro-Palestinian presence there.

[Dr Strangelove]

Massive Legal Pressure: Meta is currently embroiled in over 7,000 active lawsuits and 100,000 arbitration proceedings. The company has faced $29 billion in fines since 2019, with recent settlements reaching as high as $18 billion (0:04-0:58).
Focus on App Design: A pivotal shift occurred in March 2026, when a jury found Meta and Google liable for harms caused specifically by the design features of their apps—such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and algorithmic recommendations—rather than just the content they host (1:28-1:57).
Youth Mental Health Crisis: Many lawsuits, including a collective case from 29 US states, allege that Meta intentionally designed its platforms to be addictive to children, leading to severe mental health declines, depression, and social harassment (3:50-4:08, 11:05-11:26).
Big Tobacco Comparison: Analysts compare this moment to the 1998 Big Tobacco settlement, as regulators now seek to force fundamental changes in software architecture to protect users, specifically teenagers (2:33-2:37, 13:49-14:21).
The Algorithm's Impact: The video details how Meta’s algorithms prioritize engagement by rewarding controversial, divisive, and extreme content, often at the expense of user well-being and social cohesion (4:52-7:40, 8:32-9:05).
Moving Forward:
While Meta continues to generate immense revenue and denies wrongdoing, these ongoing legal battles are forcing the company to introduce new safety features, such as daily time limits and non-algorithmic feeds, potentially setting new industry standards for other social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat (3:54-4:05, 16:15-16:53).

[Dr Strangelove]

Pentagon Secretly Hired Influencers Touting Hegseth Talking Points

[hitest]

Been on Gander since beta. It's got a long road to hoe.

I agree! It's not anywhere close to replacing the big players.