Future plans include adult oversight and a ‘Take a Break’ prompt.<\/b>
\nA Facebook executive over the weekend said the social network plans to \u00ab\u00a0nudge\u00a0\u00bb teenagers away from harmful content and urge them to \u00ab\u00a0take a break\u00a0\u00bb from using apps like Instagram. In an interview with CNN, Facebook VP of global affairs Nick Clegg outlined three strategies for providing young people a more positive platform. \u00ab\u00a0I don’t think a company that only places profit above anything else would do what we’ve done,\u00a0\u00bb Clegg said, pointing to the $13 billion Facebook has invested \u00ab\u00a0in making sure that our platform is safe to use.\u00a0\u00bb \u00ab\u00a0We cannot, with the wave of a wand, make everyone’s life perfect,\u00a0\u00bb he continued. \u00ab\u00a0What we can do is improve our products so that [they] are as safe and enjoyable to use wherever we can improve them.\u00a0\u00bb It’s been a whirlwind couple of months for Facebook, which in September responded to claims from The Wall Street Journal that the firm knows Instagram is toxic for teenage girls. The same day, Instagram announced it would \u00ab\u00a0pause\u00a0\u00bb work on a standalone application for kids. \u00ab\u00a0We actually think that’s part of the solution,\u00a0\u00bb Clegg said about the Instagram Kids program. \u00ab\u00a0But we understand the concerns are such, at the moment, that we need to just press pause, listen to experts, consult with others, explain our intentions, and so on.\u00a0\u00bb In the meantime, Facebook is putting the finishing touches on new controls that allow parents and guardians of teens\u2014\u00a0\u00bbon an optional basis, obviously\u00a0\u00bb\u2014to supervise what their children are doing online. The company will also introduce a feature that detects when a teenager is regularly looking at content that \u00ab\u00a0may not be conducive to their wellbeing,\u00a0\u00bb Clegg explained, and \u00ab\u00a0nudges\u00a0\u00bb them to move on to something else. A third measure, called \u00ab\u00a0Take a Break,\u00a0\u00bb prompts folks to \u00ab\u00a0simply just take a break from using Instagram,\u00a0\u00bb the exec said. \u00ab\u00a0This is obviously a journey; we’re all on this journey,\u00a0\u00bb Clegg told CNN. \u00ab\u00a0The fact that over the last 10,15 years, millions of youngsters are now online in a way that they were not before means we all face this challenge. We have no incentive other than trying to make that experience as positive and safe as possible.\u00a0\u00bb The company is currently under close scrutiny following whistleblower Frances Haugen’s recent testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee, during which she argued that Facebook has shirked its responsibility to its most vulnerable users, in large part because it put profit first. The former Facebook product manager said on Tuesday that \u00ab\u00a0Facebook needs to take responsibility for the consequences of its choices. It needs to be willing to accept small trade-offs on profit.\u00a0\u00bb In a staff memo posted to his Facebook page, CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended Facebook’s policies and programs and did not admit to any missteps at the company.<\/p>\n