NEWTOWN, Conn. – Following the agreement between Meta and a bipartisan coalition of 52 attorneys general resolving state lawsuits over youth social media addiction, Meta issued an open letter calling on industry peers to join them in establishing industry-wide teen safety standards. The agreement introduces stricter platform protections, including mandatory daily usage limits, nighttime app shutdowns, muted notifications during school hours, and expanded parental controls.
In response, Mark Barden, co-founder of Sandy Hook Promise and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“Sandy Hook Promise welcomes Meta’s agreement to implement stronger safety guardrails – such as default nighttime shutoffs, mandatory break prompts, and expanded parental supervision – and its call for industry-wide alignment. While platforms like TikTok and YouTube have taken steps to introduce their own wellbeing tools, youth safety cannot be a patchwork of different rules across different apps. Standardizing these protections across the entire tech ecosystem is essential so that safety is consistent, friction-free, and the default everywhere kids spend time.
“Nevertheless, this is still only a small first step. Great harm is happening to our youth online, and much more must be done to stop this.
“For years, Sandy Hook Promise has sounded the alarm on how unmonitored digital environments, addictive algorithmic design, and exposure to harmful content impact youth mental health and community safety – from graphic violence and deceptive firearm marketing to content that preys on young boys’ insecurities about strength, isolation, and self-worth. Whether calling out the influencer loopholes that serve violent gun content to young boys, demanding platform transparency, or insisting on accountability for algorithmic failures, we have consistently called on technology giants to take accountability and prevent these harms.
“When guardrails exist on only one platform, children simply migrate to less protected spaces. Meta’s call for industry alignment validates what we have argued all along: meaningful progress requires a unified, consistent front across the entire digital ecosystem.
“While these commitments represent a necessary leap forward, promises must translate into rigorous, enforceable action. We urge all social media networks to align on these high-standard protections, and more, without delay. And we call on lawmakers to ensure these safety measures become permanent, universal standards. Our children’s mental health, safety, and lives depend on it.”
For more information about gun violence prevention and information about life-saving firearm access policies, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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The Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund (SHPAF) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization committed to protecting all children from gun violence in schools, homes, and communities. The SHP Action Fund advances a holistic policy platform that promotes gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education. The organization works at the state and federal level to pass nonpartisan legislation through inclusive partnerships, diverse grassroots education, and community mobilization. It is part of Sandy Hook Promise, founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
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