New Mexico has filed court papers seeking child-safety restrictions on Meta’s social platforms and the AI-driven recommendation systems that power them. The proposed measures focus on two algorithmic features: infinite-scroll feeds and so-called “rabbit-hole” recommendations that can amplify harmful content.
Overview
The state’s motion, part of an ongoing trial, asks the court to impose time-of-day limits on infinite scrolling and to require parental consent before minors can follow algorithmically generated “rabbit-hole” suggestions. The restrictions would apply to Meta’s core apps—Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger—during hours when minors are most likely to be online.
What the restrictions would change
- Infinite-scroll feeds: would be disabled for users under 18 between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time.
- Algorithmic “rabbit holes”: any recommendation that leads a minor to content flagged as potentially harmful would require explicit parental approval.
- Transparency reports: Meta would have to publish quarterly summaries of how many minors encountered restricted content via algorithmic suggestions.
How enforcement would work
The state proposes a three-strike system:
- First violation: 30-day suspension of the offending algorithmic feature for the minor’s account.
- Second violation: 90-day suspension.
- Third violation: permanent removal of the feature from the account.
Meta would also be required to maintain an internal audit log of all algorithmic recommendations served to minors, accessible to New Mexico’s attorney general upon request.
Tradeoffs
- Safety: Proponents argue the rules would reduce exposure to exploitative or harmful material.
- Engagement: Critics counter that disabling infinite scroll and rabbit-hole recommendations could lower daily active usage metrics, potentially affecting ad revenue.
- Implementation: Meta has not disclosed whether its existing content-moderation APIs can enforce time-of-day or parental-consent gates at scale.
Next steps
A hearing is scheduled for late October 2024. If the court grants the motion, the restrictions could take effect within 90 days, making New Mexico the first US jurisdiction to regulate social-media algorithms on child-safety grounds.