Meta addresses rise of AI and youth online safety

Tech giant Meta has addressed the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential misuse among the youth in the second phase of the ongoing Youth Online Safety & Wellbeing Campaign.

Meta hosted the engagement at The Artistry in Sandton centred around the theme #YouDecide.

Engagement

The event this week brought together the youth, parents, and content creators to discuss the critical issue of internet safety, fostering important conversations about making informed choices in the digital world.

The initiative is part of Meta’s commitment to increasing awareness and driving a positive shift in how young people and their families use its safety and well-being tools across its platforms.

Protecting youth

Thabo Makenete, head of Public Policy for Southern Africa at Meta spoke about the company’s approach to protecting the youth online.

He emphasised Meta’s responsibility to ensure a safe environment for young users who form a significant portion of the platform’s community.

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Strategy

Sylvia Musalagani, head of Safety Policy for Africa, Middle East, and Turkey (AMET) at Meta, outlined the company’s multi-layered approach to youth safety and wellbeing.

She broke down the five key components of Meta’s safety strategy:

Partnerships

Collaborating with external experts, with Meta’s dedicated team of over 40,000 people working on safety and security.

Policies

Establishing clear community guidelines to govern engagement on the platform.

Safety Tools

Providing users with features such as blocking, muting, and other privacy settings to create personalised, secure online experiences.

Resources

Offering 24/7 access to safety centres and educational content to assist users in navigating challenges.

Feedback

Continuously improving tools based on user insights.

Musalagani also introduced recent updates to Meta’s safety features, including the launch of Teen Accounts, which limit who can contact teens and what content they can access.

She highlighted the new Anti-Sextortion Tool and the Sextortion Hub, designed to empower users to respond to and protect themselves from sextortion threats.

Digital literacy

Phil Oduor, head of Policy Programs for Sub-Saharan Africa at Meta, took the conversation further by discussing digital literacy and online safety. Oduor underscored Meta’s commitment to empowering youth, parents, and educators through skill-building initiatives and peer-to-peer learning, equipping communities with the knowledge to navigate the digital world safely.

Adding a local perspective, Keneilwe Malotle, head of Projects at Digify Africa, spoke about Digify’s collaboration with Meta in educating young people about online safety through digital literacy programs.

Kitso The Bot

Malotle introduced Ilizwe Lam, a program dedicated to promoting internet safety awareness among youth and parents, and Kitso The Bot, a WhatsApp-based educational tool that provides parents, educators, and youth with essential information on safe internet practices.

As Meta continues to champion safety and well-being on its platforms, the company said it remains dedicated to fostering an environment where young people can engage, learn, and express themselves while being protected from harmful content.

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