1. Meta's latest legal challenge could indicate greater international troubles
Meta is facing new legal challenges on a number of fronts in South Africa and Ireland, per TechCrunch and AP News.
The big takeaway: It's not unusual for large companies to get hit with lawsuits and fines, and Meta is no exception—but it’s the kind of challenges the social giant is facing that are putting it in a tricky position.
Read the specifics of Meta's fines around the world.
2. What's happening to protect children on social media?
Social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram are at an inflection point where going after the youngest users may no longer be tenable.
A clear majority of US voters supports various measures to make social media safer for children after President Joe Biden asked Congress to approve legislation to accomplish just that in his recent State of the Union address, per a new survey by Morning Consult/Politico.
Greater accountability to come? Other elected officials from both parties appear to agree with Biden's plan.
Read about the latest legislative efforts.
3. Google goes after YouTube Premium work-around
YouTube Vanced, a third-party app that allowed users to access YouTube Premium features and watch YouTube ad-free, announced it is shutting down after an implied cease and desist from Google, per 9to5Google, revitalizing discussion around the use of internet ad blockers.
The prominence of ad blockers: Ordering Vanced to shut down is a logical step from Google, as advertising forms the basis of its business. But the news of the shutdown—and the app’s popularity—are a reminder of just how popular and widely used ad blockers are across web browsers.