Social media platform mentioned in regulatory actions and legal settlements regarding youth safety and child protection measures.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
… What you are seeing on Snapchat and people sending things to people,” he said. He cautioned against what he described as attempts by governments to act as “morality police,” arguing that such interventions have historically failed and often resulted in unintended consequences. …
Kofi Bentil opposes proposed porn ID verification, warns against ‘morality police’Joy Online
… She had travelled to meet one of the boys for the first time in November 2024 after he had begun a “relationship” with her on social media platform Snapchat. …
Starmer ‘appalled’ by case of boys spared jail after raping teenage girlsJoy Online
… She had travelled to meet one of the boys for the first time in November 2024 after he had begun a “relationship” with her on social media platform Snapchat. …
Girl raped by boys spared jail tells BBC judge’s decision was like ‘rock in my face’Joy Online
Inside Snapchat’s headquarters in the United Kingdom, lunchtime had become something different. …
From Snapchat Stories to Snapchat Headquarters: Chef Abbys is taking Ghana to the world one plate at a timeJoy Online
… E2EE is the default on Signal, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Apple’s iMessage and Google Messages Telegram offers it as an option, but not by default X, formerly Twitter, offers an similar system for direct messages, though critics say it does not meet industry standards Snapchat …
Instagram privacy tech is turned off today- what does this mean for your DMs?Joy Online
… es against these lawsuits and are removing ads that attempt to recruit plaintiffs for them,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement. “We will not allow trial lawyers to profit from our platforms while simultaneously claiming they are harmful.” Meta, Google, Snapchat …
Meta faces US lawmaker scrutiny over removal of lawyer ads for social media addiction casesA 15-year-old plaintiff dropped his lawsuit against Meta over alleged addiction to Instagram, following earlier settlements with TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. His lawyers said he wanted to focus on recovery and therapy, while Meta denied the claims had merit.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A 15-year-old plaintiff dropped his lawsuit against Meta over alleged addiction to Instagram, following earlier settlements with TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. His lawyers said he wanted to focus on recovery and therapy, while Meta denied the claims had merit.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
French lawmakers voted to ban social media use for children under 15, with the bill set to take effect this school year after President Emmanuel Macron signs it into law. The ban makes France the first EU country to impose such a restriction, following Australia's implementation of a ban for under-16s last year.
21 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Research by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate found that one in 10 videos recommended by YouTube's algorithm to a simulated 13-year-old girl featured thinspiration, extreme calorie restriction or other harmful material. This occurred a year after new rules were introduced to curb harmful online content, though the situation had improved over the past two years.
13 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Meta disclosed in a court filing that four US states are seeking $1.4 trillion in penalties over allegations the company designed Facebook and Instagram to addict young users and misled the public about their safety, ahead of an August trial in Oakland, California.
7 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A U.S. District Judge rejected Meta Platforms' attempt to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 29 state attorneys general accusing the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children and concealing the harms. The judge denied Meta's motion to dismiss claims based on deception and unfair practices, and granted summary judgment to the states on violations of the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
30 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Florida's attorney general filed a lawsuit claiming TikTok violated the state's law barring social media platforms from allowing children under age 14 to create accounts, alleging the platform allows underage users access and misrepresents exposure to violent or sexual content. TikTok says it is complying with the law and suspending accounts of users under 14 in Florida.
16 June 2026 · Joy Online →
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to ban social media sites such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram for under-16s, with restrictions on gaming and livestreaming platforms where children can contact strangers. The government expects regulation by year-end and enforcement around spring.
15 June 2026 · The Chronicle →
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce a ban on under-16s using major social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, X, and others. The government will also restrict children from livestreaming on "safer" sites and talking to strangers on gaming apps, with additional measures such as social media curfews for older teenagers being considered.
14 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Child Rights International has endorsed a government proposal requiring age and identity verification for pornographic websites, arguing the measure is needed to protect children from harmful online sexual content that is easily accessible without meaningful restrictions.
8 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
IMANI Africa's Senior Vice President Kofi Bentil has argued that the government should not use national identification cards to regulate access to pornographic websites, contending that enforcing morality through legislation produces unintended consequences and citing historical examples like alcohol prohibition.
6 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Kofi Bentil of IMANI Africa has criticised the government's proposed mandatory identity verification system for pornographic websites, arguing that while protecting children from harmful content is important, the state should not regulate adults' online consumption through national identification systems. The Communications Minister recently disclosed that the government is considering requiring users to verify their age and identity before accessing pornographic websites in Ghana, but Bentil warned the move could lead to abuse and state intrusion into private lives.
6 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called a case in which three teenage boys were spared custodial sentences over the rape of two girls "appalling" and said it was "right" that the Attorney General was reviewing the sentences. The boys received Youth Rehabilitation Orders instead of jail time for attacks in Hampshire in November 2024 and January 2025, prompting one victim to criticize the outcome as a "slap on the wrist."
25 May 2026 · Joy Online →
A 16-year-old rape victim has told the BBC that a judge's decision not to jail two teenage boys convicted of raping her felt like a personal blow, saying the verdict made it seem the crimes were acceptable "in the eyes of the law because they were still children." The attorney general is reviewing the sentence given by Judge Nicholas Rowland, who cited the boys' young age to avoid "criminalising" them despite acknowledging the seriousness of the offences and that the boys had filmed and shared the assaults.
24 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Chef Abena Amoakoa Sintim-Aboagye (Chef Abbys), who built an audience on Snapchat as a young content creator, prepared authentic Ghanaian dishes for more than 300 Snapchat employees at the company's UK headquarters. She described the experience as one of the biggest highlights of her career.
22 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Instagram has switched off end-to-end encryption on direct messages worldwide, a reversal of Meta's previous commitment to the technology. The shift means Meta can now access message content, and while child protection groups welcome the decision, privacy advocates have condemned it.
8 May 2026 · Joy Online →
US senators Marsha Blackburn and Amy Klobuchar criticized Meta for removing advertisements by attorneys seeking clients in social media addiction lawsuits. Meta said it removed the ads to defend itself against the lawsuits and prevent trial lawyers from profiting using its platforms.
4 May 2026 · Joy Online →