A coalition of parents, child advocates and family-policy organizations is urging TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to adopt protections for minors similar to those Meta agreed to implement on Facebook and Instagram.
The groups made the request in a letter to the three platforms, according to Fox Business, which reported obtaining the letter. The coalition argues that protections limited to Meta’s services could leave children exposed if they shift to other platforms.
Among the measures requested are daily time limits, restrictions on use during school hours and overnight, stronger parental controls for algorithmic feeds and autoplay, likes hidden by default, and age verification. The letter also calls for consistent safeguards across platforms.
The effort follows a Meta settlement announced in August with a coalition of 52 attorneys general representing states, U.S. territories and Washington, D.C. Under the agreement, Meta could pay up to $18 billion and make changes to teen experiences on Facebook and Instagram, the source reported.
Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, told Fox Business that the protections should extend beyond Meta’s apps. He cited concerns including anxiety, body-image issues and exposure to explicit material. The letter also warns about risks the organizations associate with violent or sexual content and contact with dangerous individuals. These are concerns raised by the advocacy group, not findings independently established in the supplied report.
The letter points to state-level initiatives in Utah, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama concerning age verification and parental consent at the app-store level. The coalition is asking the companies to act voluntarily while broader federal protections remain pending.
Fox Business said it sought comment from TikTok, YouTube and Snap. The supplied report did not include responses from those companies.
