Brand Management: Instagram, YouTube, And TikTok Expand Teen Safety, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan Talks Content Creation
Social Networking Service: Meta is automatically making teen accounts private on Instagram. This new feature is called “Instagram Teen Accounts” with slightly different protections than regular private accounts on the platform. In addition to the automatic privatization, teens can only be messaged by people they follow, are placed under Instagram’s most restrictive setting of sensitive content control, can only be tagged or mentioned by people they follow, will receive notifications after being on the app for an hour daily, and will automatically turn on sleep mode between 10 PM and 7 AM daily, muting notifications overnight and sending auto-replies to DMs. While these protections are turned on automatically, teens under the age of 16 will need a parent’s permission to change these restrictions. Teens over the age of 16 can have these restrictions reinforced by turning on parental supervision.
Instagram added new DM features including drawing tools and stickers for images shared in DMs. These features have been available for posts and Instagram stories, but are now available for DM usage. Additionally, Instagram added new birthday indicators to users’ notes. This allows users to see if it is someone they follow’s birthday in the notes tab. Lastly, a few new chat themes have been added including “Fall”, featuring autumn leaves, and “Sabrina Carpenter”, in celebration of her new album Short n’ Sweet.
Meta announced new ad updates for the holiday season including easier-to-apply discount codes, updated reminder ads, in-store shopping promotions, site links that lead to multiple landing pages, and new metrics to advertise to shoppers on vacation.
Elon Musk posted an inflammatory tweet against presidential nominee Kamala Harris after the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. In response to an X user asking “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?”, the platform’s CEO responded with “no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala.” Musk immediately faced criticism on both sides of the political spectrum. A statement from the White House condemned Musk’s remarks saying: “Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about. This rhetoric is irresponsible.” Musk, who endorsed Trump and interviewed him live on X, eventually took down the tweet which had been released to his almost 200 million X followers. He would later go on to post the following:
Character Limit by Kate Conger and Ryan Mac is a recently released book detailing Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, which has now been rebranded as X under his leadership. Conger and Mac are reporters for the New York Times. Though Musk was never interviewed for the book, Conger and Mac scoured court documents, participated in hands-on reporting, and interviewed many former employees. It currently retails at $32 USD in hardcover and is available for purchase at major retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Walmart.
X appears to be working on a separate block button for direct messaging. Uncovered by app researcher Nima Owji through the platform’s back-end code, the feature will supposedly allow users to block others from messaging without blocking them from an account. This means that users can choose who messages them, but allow them to still view content that they post. CEO Elon Musk replied to Owji’s post, clarifying that X is “decoupling” DMs from public posting.
Snapchat is creating a new version of Snapchat Spectacles which will include new AR features. The company is giving developers early access to the new spectacles at a yearly fee of USD 1,188. The first generation of Snapchat Spectacles launched in 2016 and was an instant hit. Time will only tell if this new device will live up to the legacy of the original. Snapchat explained the new Spectacle’s technology and features:
Spectacles are the result of a decade of research and development to introduce hardware that breaks the bounds of screens and brings people together in the real world. Spectacles pack incredible technology into AR glasses that weigh less than half the weight of a typical VR headset at only 226 grams. They are equipped with four cameras that power the Snap Spatial Engine and enable seamless hand tracking.
Snapchat unveiled new updates at its 2024 Partner Summit, including the aforementioned next generation of Spectacles, an updated UI that will rearrange the positioning of users’ friends and stories in-app, and new AI recommendations based on user interests. Snapchat described these new features, saying:
With this new and simplified design, Snapchatters will have a more personal and relevant viewing experience. This update also has the potential to help our creators and publisher partners find new audiences across new surfaces and support our advertising business over the long-term.
One of the bigger updates unveiled at the Partner Summit is Snapchat’s new AI-powered text-to-video creation. Users can type in a prompt like “cat bowling” and will receive a short video clip. A “Style” option is available to refine the video clip if users are unsatisfied. An example was shown at the Summit.
Threads added fediverse sharing options which allows users to share information across servers outside of Meta’s control. These third-party independent servers are utilized to connect users in different countries to build an international community. Threads’ beta began developing the fediverse back in March. Users can opt-in to the fediverse by going to “Account” then “Fediverse sharing” on the Threads mobile app or by going to “Settings” then “the Account tab” then “Fediverse sharing” on the Threads website.
Threads users can now add up to 20 photos or videos in a carousel. Meta, Thread’s parent company, recently added this same feature to Instagram.
SocialAI is the newest social media platform trying to replace X. The app’s hook? No human engagement. Users have their own “social network” full of AI chatbots to interact with rather than the combination of bots, people, and branded accounts that other social media platforms feature. The app specifically mimics X’s format and features profiles for the AI chatbots it generates, AI generated “tweets”, and imaginary metrics. With no real human engagement, the platform is essentially a sandbox for users to play make-believe in or post without fear of repercussions.
WhatsApp beta is testing a new feature that will allow users to tag contacts in status updates. Tagging a user in a status update will send them a notification. The feature appears to be undergoing public beta testing, though no official release or release date has been announced.
Patreon is adding Apple’s infamous App Store tax to subscriptions. The “Apple Tax” is a commission fee Apple charges apps to use its App Store and in-app payment system. All payments are subjected to a 30% surcharge. Some companies, like Spotify, refuse to allow in-app purchases on iOS devices in order to skirt the Apple Tax. Patreon falling to the Apple Tax leads to many implications because Patreon acts as a host company for artists, content creators, and businesses to sell content at various payment tiers with a large majority of the money going to Patreon sellers. With the introduction of this new fee, Patreon is letting creators automatically raise the prices of their subscriptions in iOS to offset the Apple Tax.
The new kids on the social media platform block, Bluesky updated users on its trust and safety policies. The company is currently developing features and initiatives to combat harassment, spam, fake accounts, video safety, and more. One of the tools in development will be able to detect when multiple accounts are made and managed by the same person, a move likely meant to specifically combat spam posting and cyber bullying. Bluesky also plans on developing a tool that will detect inappropriate replies and send them to moderators. The company will also create a list of usernames from users that post discriminatory content or include a toxic or abusive name or description within their profile.
LinkedIn may have trained AI models with its user data without updating its terms. While LinkedIn users have an opt-out toggle in their settings disclosing that LinkedIn scrapes personal data to train its AI, the social networking service did not refresh its privacy policy to reflect the company’s data use. LinkedIn has updated their privacy policy to reflect this change, but an update of this nature typically occurs prior to scraping user data for a new purpose such as AI. Disclosing how users’ data has been used after the fact feels a bit dishonest and roundabout to some users.
Online Video Platform: YouTube is setting limitations on content recommendations for teens in hopes of limiting the effects of overexposure. Multiple studies have shown that YouTube’s recommendation algorithm can lead users down many nefarious rabbit holes and can even lead to right-wing radicalization. These new limitations are YouTube's attempt to protect young minds without changing content policies or the platform’s existing algorithm. Limited content includes any content that compares physical features and/or idealizes some types over others, content that idealizes specific fitness levels or body weights, and content that displays social aggression in the form of non-contact fights and intimidation. These definitions are fairly broad, suggesting that YouTube will take its time to fine-tune what exactly fits into these categories. YouTube has previously restricted relating to child safety, eating disorders, and harassment. The new restrictions will be implemented globally.
YouTube is developing new countermeasures to catch AI deep fakes. Not only will these new tools be used to detect this type of content, but creators, celebrities, and businesses that fall prey to these deepfakes will be alerted whenever their likeness is used in another clip. YouTube has long been known to police copyright law rigorously. Though the legal battle between AI tools and copyright is ongoing, YouTube has decided to take matters into its own hands.
Since 2007, Content ID has provided granular control to rightsholders across their entire catalog on YouTube, with billions of claims processed every year, while simultaneously generating billions in new revenue for artists and creators through reuse of their work. We’re committed to bringing this same level of protection and empowerment into the AI age.
YouTube showcased a variety of updates at its “Made on YouTube” event including AI video generation tools, AI-generated advice for creators via YouTube Studio called the “Inspiration” tab, channel “Communities” for content creators to directly update their audience, an exposure program for smaller content creators called “Hype”, and many more features. Another large announcement at the event involved Google’s Veo video generation tool which will now be available for YouTube Shorts. Creators can also use Veo to generate 6-second video clips for Shorts. The video above showcases clips that Veo has generated.
Another announcement at the “Made on YouTube” event includes the platform’s expansion of auto-dubbing. The auto-dubbing feature was previously only available to dub English videos into Spanish and Portuguese, but the expansion includes new languages like French and Italian. This feature was previously known as “Aloud” and was first announced in 2022.
YouTube expanded its pause screen ad placements to all advertisers. YouTube viewers who pause their video may see an advertisement or promotion displayed on their paused screen. The expansion received criticism from YouTube’s audience due to the onslaught of ads that are already prevalent across the platform.
YouTube added an “Add Yours” sticker exclusive to Shorts. The feature is reminiscent of Instagram’s “Add Yours” sticker that is available on Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories and TikTok’s Duet feature.
Content creators on YouTube now have another way to drive traffic to websites thanks to YouTube’s new “Website Visits” goal. Channels can now set website traffic as the main goal for a video promotion in tandem with the advanced ad options available under Google Ads. This new feature can be found in YouTube Studio.
TikTok released a series of new safety tools for its teenage user base including updated in-app resources for parents and improved advice guides. The online video platform partnered with The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) to develop a “Digital Safety Partnership” agreement for families – a contract-style document that parents can use to establish clear boundaries and parameters for social media use. Additionally, TikTok has invested in a new TV campaign to highlight its new and existing safety features. TikTok seems dedicated to promoting teen safety on their platform, stating:
In addition to FOSI, we consulted members of our Content Advisory Council, Youth Council, and parent TikTok creators to ensure we’re considering the needs of those the agreement is intended to help. To help caregivers learn about this and other digital parenting tips, we’ll work with FOSI to raise awareness of resources available to families, supported by free advertising space on TikTok.
TikTok added a new “status update” adjacent feature called a “Thought.” The new feature has been compared frequently to Instagram Notes, which provides a status update to an Instagram user’s following displayed above Instagram DMs. In contrast, TikTok Thoughts are displayed on top of a user’s profile image or at the top of their Stories feed. Users are also prompted to add a Thought at the top of their Stories feed. The feature hasn’t been fully released to the public and seems to be undergoing testing with users as some TikTok users have been able to utilize Thoughts while others have never seen nor heard of the new feature.
TikTok is testing a new “Delete and re-edit” feature which would allow TikTok creators to undo any edits done in-app. This implies that any edits made to a video in the TikTok app will automatically be saved for users to edit and repost. This feature is only functional within the TikTok app and not editing apps associated with the online video platform like Capcut.
Former President Barack Obama is partnering with TikTokers to encourage the platform’s audience to vote in the upcoming presidential election. President Obama will take part in multiple videos that will encourage voters to visit IWillVote.com and register. A spokesperson for Obama explained the move:
As part of President Obama’s ongoing efforts to mobilize young voters, President Obama has engaged content creators and activists including at his office in Washington, DC and in Chicago for the Democratic national convention. (. . .) President Obama discussed the stakes of the election, the importance of making sure everyone is registered to vote, and he also had some fun.
TikTok held a wide variety of events for Latin Heritage Month. The platform kicked off September announcing its “Latin Heritage Month Visionary Voices” list which spotlights Latin creators in various genres across the platform including viral sensation Jooles Lebron, motivational speaker Alex Parra, and entrepreneur Andrew Casanova. These creators will be featured on the limited-time “#CasaTikTok” page in the app which will also feature Latin-owned businesses, musicians, and more. The online video platform is also inviting Latin creators to apply to the #CasaTikTok creator community program which provides access to expanded educational resources, events, and webinars, designed to help creators grow their content on the platform. Lastly, TikTok is promoting Latin-owned businesses through live streams, the TikTok Shop, and an in-person “#ShopLatinOwned Creator Mixer” which brings Latin-owned companies together for the event.
TikTok hosted a webinar featuring marketing tips for content creators and small business owners on the platform. The “Creative Made Simple” webinar occurred on September 26, 2024, on Zoom. Attendees were taught how to ideate content, understand production, optimize creative performance, and were introduced to TikTok’s various creative tools.
TwitchCon took place from September 20 to September 22, 2024, in San Diego, California. This marks TwitchCon North America’s 10th anniversary. Twitch provided not only meet and greets and panels with the platform’s most popular creators, but a wide variety of updates for the platform itself. The streaming platform’s mobile app will receive a wide variety of updates including an updated UI with a change in picture-in-picture player, an autoplay toggle, and updates to the Following tab which will occur in October 2024. Clips have also received several new updates including a new feature called “Clip Carousel” that will highlight clips from a streamer’s most recent stream for easy cross-platform sharing, portrait mode for easier mobile clip viewing, and new alerts when clips are created. Other new features include Shared Chat which can combine the chats of up to 6 creators that are streaming together, enhanced broadcasting at 1440p (“2K”), globalization of the Twitch Unity Guilds, and the expansion of Creator Clubs with the addition of Artists/Makers, Music, VTubers, and Coworking/Coding. Lastly, Twitch is clarifying their Community Guidelines by showing definitively where a violation occurred in chat via email, clips of violations, and reduced limits on strikes.
Neal mohan - WSJ
Executive in Focus: On September 18, Peter Kafka released an episode of his podcast Channels with Peter Kafka where he interviews YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. The episode is slightly longer than typical episodes of podcasts, sitting at forty-eight minutes rather than the thirty to forty-five-minute runtime the podcast usually sits at.
Mohan gives multiple tips throughout the podcast, not just to bubbling entrepreneurs and business majors, but content creators on YouTube. Topics of discussion also included YouTube’s stance on artificial intelligence, short-form content, the upcoming United States presidential election, and YouTube’s 20th anniversary.
When asked about the large payout in revenue YouTubers received, Mohan spoke candidly:
I guess what I would say is we are really proud of the fact that we’re not just the original, but the largest creator economy. And creators, when they speak with me, they’re fundamentally focused on two things. First and foremost, of course, is helping them find and build an audience. Without that, nothing else matters. But the second thing is lots of creative people want to earn a living. They want to build a business on YouTube. And so those are the two fundamental conversations we have. And the last three years, as you know, we’ve paid out $70 billion to the creator economy. That is something we are enormously proud of. - Neal Mohan, "Channels with Peter Kafka"
Kafka went on to play devil’s advocate, comparing the payouts that Instagram and TikTok give to YouTube’s large payouts. Content creators who are successful on these platforms still make quite a bit of money, leading Kafka to ask if Mohan and YouTube were ever tempted to pay their creators less. He even compared the amount of money YouTube could pay out in comparison to all of the creative tools the platform has for its users.
Our mission is to give everyone a voice and show them the world that’s core to what we do. And you can’t do that in any meaningful way without also giving [creators] the means to build a livelihood on the platform (. . .) I am a firm believer that the real path to success here is to grow the overall pie (. . .) as opposed to thinking about whether the share should be X or Y. - Neal Mohan, "Channels with Peter Kafka"
Kafka then proceeded to compare the payouts that mainstay videos on YouTube receive (55%) to YouTube’s short-form “TikTok clone” YouTube Shorts (45%). Why is it a lower percentage?
Well, the mechanics of Shorts monetization works a little bit differently. The modality is consumption in a feed that you’re scrolling through. So those dollars are pooled as opposed to the way that they work in kind of traditional YouTube long-form with the ads being associated with the videos. So, just even the concept of rev share, just there at a base level, is a bit different. There are other things also that go into producing and having Shorts content created that are just different in terms of the cost structure. A lot of Shorts is about creation within the platform. So there’s a lot of resources we invest in to make it so that those creation tools are effective, that all those filters and effects work the way that they do, so that they get distributed in the feed. So it’s just a different set of services that we offer to creators vs. long-form, which, as you know, traditionally has grown up through people just uploading to YouTube. - Neal Mohan, "Channels with Peter Kafka"
In a nutshell, Youtube’s costs to produce Shorts is higher than the costs of producing long-form content due to the tools and services YouTube provides and the newness of mobile content creation.
Kafka then went on to get political, asking Mohan how he would handle a hypothetical scenario in which Donald Trump would refuse to concede losing the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Trump has previously used social media platforms to spread misinformation about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. With studies showing that YouTube’s algorithm can, at worst, radicalize users to right-wing conspiracy theories and at a lesser degree, spread rampant misinformation, Kafka’s questioning is not only topical but necessary. Mohan had a few answers.
First, just like 2020 and 2022 and the dozens and dozens of elections around the world, responsibility is our top priority. I have a team that is focused on election integrity. We just concluded the world’s largest election that happened over six, seven weeks, in India, where we went through a lot of this and had to remain vigilant. And the U.S. election is not going to be different in that context. And so all the tools that we have learned have been effective here are going to be tools and capabilities that we’re going to have in place. I’ll explain the hierarchy [of our plan] from my standpoint, which is first and foremost (. . .) making sure that we’re actually raising up content that goes from authoritative sources. You go to YouTube, you’re looking for information. And so you should get it from those types of sources whether that’s CNN or The New York Times or Fox News. That’s going to be first and foremost. It’s not what gets talked a lot about, but that’s actually what users experience. Our election integrity rules of the road are pretty clear. We are going to enforce those regardless of what happens there. But the other thing that’s also very important is we have these core principles, but we also need to remain flexible to what’s actually happening in the environment. And we will be in this case as well. - Neal Mohan, "Channels with Peter Kafka"
Mohan and Kafka then went on to discuss conspiracy theories and moderation, the topic eventually naturally flowing into Elon Musk’s leadership at X and the lack of moderation on the platform. Mohan believes that YouTube’s approach to responsibility is core to the company’s operation.
Overall, the episode provided interesting insights into not just Mohan’s approach to running YouTube, but the company’s core values going forward.
Industry: X was officially blocked in Brazil in late August after CEO Elon Musk refused to remove X users that the Brazilian government had legally found as spreaders of misinformation and hate speech. Musk himself began speaking negatively about the Brazilian government and shut down X’s Brazilian office. Brazil ordered the Apple Store and Google Play Store to remove the app from their platforms with the government’s court threatening fines of up to $8,900 USD per violation to citizens using X via VPN. With over 21 million active users in the country, losing Brazilian X users meant losing one of the platform’s largest user bases. The ban led to a surge in new users on X alternatives Bluesky, gaining 3 million new users in a week, and Meta’s Threads. Brazilian X users were briefly able to access the social media platform after the company updated the country’s servers. Musk and X were fined $920,000 USD for unintentionally breaching the ban. On September 20, X announced that they were hiring legal representatives in Brazil in an attempt to comply with the government’s previous court orders. Some Brazilian X users worry that this may be too little, too late.
The company behind popular card game Cards Against Humanity is suing Elon Musk for $15 million after SpaceX employees trespassed on land the company owns near the U.S.-Mexico border. SpaceX has “treated the property as its own for at least six months” without the company’s consent which will take $15 million to repair. The land was purchased in 2017 with funds donated by Cards Against Humanity supporters after the company announced an initiative to purchase a plot of land to block then-President Donald Trump’s border wall.
The Australian government is continuing to restrict teens from social media despite new actions taken to protect teen users on social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a plan to introduce legislation that would block children from accessing social media and other digital platforms unless they are over a certain age. No age has been given, but based on South Australia’s plan to restrict access to teens 14+, it is likely the age limit will be between 14 and 16 years old. Some Australians are concerned as to how the government will verify the ages of teenagers and if the legislation will even be enforceable. The Albanese government’s communications minister, Michelle Rowland, said the government welcomes any new restrictions and protections social media platforms have been in place to protect teens but had criticisms:
It does not negate the government’s intention to introduce legislation this year to mandate a minimum age for access to social media. (. . .) It’s also incumbent on the platforms (. . .) to utilize every tool at their disposal to ensure that they can identify what Australians are seeing and whether it’s appropriate for those particular cohorts of Australians. (. . .) If you go to Instagram’s site even today, they will tell you that they are using artificial intelligence to determine the ages of their users because they have 13 as [the] minimum age. (. . .) The key issue here is that it’s not getting enforced. And one of the reasons why it’s not getting enforced is that there isn’t a consistent set of age assurance standards across Australia.
Meta will train AI models using public Facebook and Instagram posts from the United Kingdom. Users over the age of 18 in the U.K. will receive mass notifications on both platforms leading up to the initiative. Meta will honor any users who do not want to have their data used to train generative AI but will have to opt-out manually.
Meta banned Russian state media outlets from its social media platforms. The company alleges that these outlets are using deceptive tactics to spread Russian propaganda internationally. The Kremlin, Russia Today, and Russia Segodnya, all denounced the move and claimed that Meta itself is an inherently political company.
Support for a U.S. TikTok sale appears to be waning according to Pew Research Center. Based on a survey by the center of 10,000 people, the majority believe that a TikTok ban in the United States is unlikely. Additionally, overall support for a ban on the app in the U.S. is waning from 38% in Fall 2023 to 32%.
A transcript was released from the original briefing presented to United States senators about TikTok from security experts. The transcript is heavily redacted but features concerns about links between TikTok and the Chinese government, the app’s data collection practices, and Chinese foreign influence operations within the app. The main finding from intelligence officials in the transcript is that TikTok does pose a “latent threat to U.S. national security because Beijing has legal and economic leverage over these companies, and therefore, significant potential leverage over their operations.” The specifics behind the move remain redacted.
TikTok appeared in federal court on September 16, 2024, to issue further appeals in the legal battle between the online video platform and the United States government. The main concern over the legal battle is U.S. national security (United States) and the free speech rights of U.S. citizens (TikTok). Overall, the lawsuit appears to still be at a stalemate.
TikTok is expanding its partnership with the NFL to a multi-year contract. NFL media and teams will post exclusive content to the app. NFL-related videos generated over 5 billion views on the app in 2023 alone. Some concern has been raised over the imminent TikTok ban in the United States as the NFL is an American company with a primarily American audience. Nevertheless, TikTok seems confident in the partnership:
TikTok has become a destination for NFL content and culture, with over 11 million combined posts for #NFL, #NFLPlayoffs, and #SuperBowl. All year-round, our global community of fans come to TikTok for an unfiltered look into the NFL world and the commentary around it. From behind-the-scenes footage with players and educational videos to highlights of yesterday’s and today’s most memorable plays, the NFL has become so much more than the game itself, and it’s all found on TikTok.
Australia proposed legislation that would implement new fines for social media platforms that enable misinformation on their platforms. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would act as the governing body for this new legislation and would be given additional powers to investigate and prosecute social platforms for both misinformation and disinformation shared by users. Platforms that fail to comply could be fined up to 5% of their global revenue. Journalists have been quick to compare this new legislation to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DMA). A key issue in contention is the lack of a universal definition of what misinformation and/or disinformation is, leaving regulation difficult and flexible.
Snapchat is facing a potential ban in New Mexico after state Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a lawsuit on behalf of the state alleging that Snapchat has failed to protect children from sextortion, sexual exploitation, and general harm on the app? The filing claims that Snapchat is now a key platform used by criminals to carry out sextortion, one of the most rapidly growing crimes targeting young people and adolescents. As part of its investigation, the New Mexico DOJ created a fake profile as a 14-year-old girl which was then targeted by several dangerous accounts. Snapchat reviewed the claims and released a statement saying they would respond more thoroughly to Attorney General Torrez and the New Mexico DOJ in court. Torrez’s descriptions of the investigation level some serious accusations:
Our undercover investigation revealed that Snapchat’s harmful design features create an environment where predators can easily target children through sextortion schemes and other forms of sexual abuse. Snap has misled users into believing that photos and videos sent on their platform will disappear, but predators can permanently capture this content and they have created a virtual yearbook of child sexual images that are traded, sold, and stored indefinitely.
Meta Connect 2024 took place on September 25, 2024. VR fans waited with bated breath to see if the leaked Meta Quest 3S would receive an official announcement at the event. With the return of “smart glasses” in the tech space, many expected more news on Meta Orion, the company’s first official set of augmented reality glasses. More news on Meta’s growing collection of AI chatbots and generative AI tools was also announced.
A Kenyan court ruled that Meta can be sued over moderator layoffs that occurred under a contractor. Dozens of affected content moderators sued Meta and two contractors last year, saying they lost their jobs with Sama, a Kenya-based firm contracted to moderate Facebook content, after trying to organize a union. These contractors were then blacklisted from applying for the same roles at another major firm, Majorel after Facebook changed contractors.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is one of 49 signatures on a new open letter that urges EU regulators to loosen their reins on AI development. Signatories are concerned that the EU will fall behind the rest of the world in the race for AI. Many companies have faced delays or bans due to the EU’s restrictions on AI including Meta, whose AI chatbot had a delayed release in Europe. Additionally, Meta was forced to add an opt-out for EU users who do not want their data subject to AI training. A signature from Zuckerberg is a signature from Meta, who agrees with the following excerpt from the new open letter:
We are a group of companies, researchers and institutions integral to Europe and working to serve hundreds of millions of Europeans. We want to see Europe succeed and thrive, including in the field of cutting-edge AI research and technology. But the reality is Europe has become less competitive and less innovative compared to other regions and it now risks falling further behind in the AI era due to inconsistent regulatory decision making.
Over forty United State Attorney Generals have called on Congress to implement safety labels on social media platforms. This comes after an initiative proposed by United States Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy in which he calls for these safety labels, akin to warnings on tobacco products.
