Three major social media companies will soon undergo testing to evaluate how well they protect teenagers and their mental health. TikTok, Snap, and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, have all agreed to participate in the initiative announced Monday by the Mental Health Coalition.
The program, called Safe Online Standards (S.O.S.), will assess platforms on a range of features designed to promote teen safety, including mandated breaks and options to disable endless scrolling. Companies that perform well will receive a blue shield badge, while those that do not meet the standards will be identified as less able to block potentially harmful content, according to The Washington Post.
“Standards and ratings are commonplace today, except in the online technology space,” said Dr. Dan Reidenberg, Founder and Director of Safe Online Standards at the Mental Health Coalition, a nonprofit founded by designer Kenneth Cole. “The public and advertisers want to know what is a safer place for youth and young adults in their online activities, and now we can help them with that through the S.O.S. program.”
Dr. Reidenberg noted that the testing is not intended to replace legislation but could serve as a useful guide for parents and teens deciding how to engage with apps.
Platform Responses
All three companies expressed support for the initiative.
“We are humbled to learn from the Safe Online Standards and the expertise of Dr. Reidenberg and the Mental Health Coalition as we continue our daily efforts to ensure teens have a safe experience online,” said Suzy Loftus, Head of Trust & Safety at TikTok.
Snap also highlighted its commitment to user safety, stating, “We are committed to doing our part to carefully and responsibly address suicide and self-harm content on our platform and across the ecosystem, and to provide tools, resources, and materials to those who may be struggling.”
Context: Growing Scrutiny of Social Media
The testing initiative comes amid increasing scrutiny of social media platforms over transparency and potential harm to children and teens. In Los Angeles, opening arguments were heard Monday in a lawsuit alleging that platforms were designed to be addictive. Snap and TikTok settled out of court for undisclosed amounts, while Meta and Google are set to defend their platforms before a jury. Executives Mark Zuckerberg and Neal Mohan are expected to testify.
Legislators are also considering measures to protect children online. Australia recently implemented a social media ban for users under 16, and France has approved a law prohibiting children under 15 from accessing social media.
