Parent Advocate Decries Meta Settlement as Insufficient, Demands Zuckerberg Take Action

Parent activist Cheryl Brown lost her daughter, McKenna, to cyberbullying and sexual harassment and is now leading efforts to hold Meta accountable for its treatment of young users. She shared her perspective on Meta’s $17 billion settlement reached this week in a child social media addiction lawsuit.

Parent advocates contend that Meta’s $17 billion settlement is insufficient, arguing that more comprehensive measures are needed to protect children on social media platforms.

Brown, whose daughter McKenna died after experiencing online bullying and harassment, has become a prominent voice demanding greater accountability from technology companies regarding their impact on minors.

In an interview with FOX Business, Brown stated that while Meta agreed to implement certain changes following the lawsuit, the issue ultimately requires legislative action from Congress.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s negligible in the broader context, and it certainly doesn’t bring McKenna back or the other children who have been lost,” Brown told FOX Business.

FRANCE BECOMES FIRST EU NATION TO BAN SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CHILDREN UNDER 15

A computer screen displays the Meta logo while a mobile phone in the foreground shows Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg. Meta will lay off around 8,000 workers, the company said in a memo to employees. (Arda Kucukkaya/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“There are some positive aspects,” she noted, highlighting the ban on children under 13 accessing Meta’s platforms and Instagram’s overnight shutdown for teenage users.

Brown further called on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to support parents in their push for reform. She referenced reports that Zuckerberg had expressed to Meta staff his wish that Congress had addressed the issue before the lawsuit became necessary.

Brown and other concerned parents have united under the ParentsSOS coalition to urge Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which she emphasized would provide more comprehensive protections for minors.

BIG TECH IS THROUGH HARMING OUR CHILDREN. THIS IS OUR TIME TO FIGHT BACK

The Instagram logo is displayed on a smartphone screen. (Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

She stated that Meta’s current modifications place too much emphasis on parental controls and fail to compel the company to fundamentally alter how its platforms engage with children.

HAWLEY CHAMPIONS GUARD ACT AS HEARTBROKEN FAMILIES SAY AI CHATBOTS ALLEGEDLY PUSHED TEENS TO SELF-HARM

KOSA passed the Senate in a strongly bipartisan vote last year but has yet to advance through the House of Representatives.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wore a pair of Meta Ray-Ban Display AI smart glasses during the Meta Connect event on Sept. 17, 2025, in Menlo Park, California. Meta introduced its first smart glasses featuring a built-in display as part of its expanding we (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“The fact that it hasn’t passed yet is frankly absurd,” Brown stated.

“It’s going to take something tragic happening to someone’s child before they finally recognize this as a widespread and preventable problem,” she continued.

Source link