Don’t Let App Stores Off the Hook
July 17, 2024
On July 9, for the first time, federal regulators banned a digital platform from serving users under 18. As part of this landmark settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, NGL, an anonymous-messaging app that pitched itself as a “safe space for teens,” will now be required to prevent users from accessing the app if they indicate they are under 18. NGL also agreed to stop marketing its apps to kids and teens. As the Washington Post reported, “the settlement marks a major milestone in the federal government’s efforts to tackle concerns that tech platforms are exposing children to noxious material and profiting from it.”
The impetus for the FTC’s investigation was complaints that NGL had become a hotbed for cyberbullying, despite claiming that it had a sophisticated AI system to prevent such actions on its platforms. The settlement is an important step forward in preventing apps from harming America’s kids. But NGL is only one app of many that are harmful and dangerous for children and yet are easily available for download and are being actively promoted to children in the app stores.
