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Comment by jazzyjackson | Hacker News Reader

Nice detailed write up. I love-hate Meta’s PR spin on this: “Meta's Agreement With Bipartisan Attorneys General: Calling on TikTok and YouTube to Join Us in Supporting Teens”

https://investor.atmeta.com/investor-news/press-release-deta...

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They learned good from the tobacco industry about how to manage this properly. Getting way out in front of things and pretending to regulate themselves.

What's going to be their analog to vapes?

Moltbook?

An impressive amount of gall. Meta will only pay the full settlement if their competitors ALSO pay a fine. From the article:

The remaining 30% (approximately $5.3 billion) will be released only after two specific conditions are met.

YouTube and TikTok implement a one-hour Daily Limit, Night Mode, and age assurance measures. YouTube and TikTok each pay an amount matching the 30% figure, with half of the remaining funds tied to YouTube's payment and half tied to TikTok's.

Genuinely unhinged that companies can just lie this way to the public and it’s completely fine. Normal even.

You didn’t agree to shit, Meta. You’re scum, so much so that even in the incredibly hostile to industry regulation environment we find ourselves in, you managed to get fined.

Tobacco industry lied and it was completely fine.

DuPont hid Teflon pollution for decades.

Scary what information these companies are sitting on which only comes to light once their hand is forced.

https://www.ewg.org/research/dupont-hid-teflon-pollution-dec...

This is why in a free/profit driven market you *absolutely* need strong regulation. A companies mandate isn't to make the world a better place. It's to make money. The government's job is there to make the world a better place (generalisation of keep balance, keep people safe, etc).

Australia gets given grief for being a nanny state, but it's what's required.

not sure who is downvoting this comment. meta should not exist as a company.

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