• by Colin Kirkland , October 24, 2023

To help standardize an industry-wide approach to “media responsibility,” Meta has launched a space on its Meta for Business site where it will update its outlook on content moderation and ad-placement objectives, and allow partners to hold them accountable, according to the company.

“When we get together to define exactly what media responsibility means, the reality is it’s hard to pin down an industry-standard definition,” wrote Meta in a blog post, adding that the company itself defines it as “the commitment of the entire marketing industry to contribute to a better world through a more accountable, equitable and sustainable advertising ecosystem.”

The company extended its definition with “four pillars of media responsibility,” including a “Safety and expression” pillar dedicated to making sure every user and brand has a voice on Meta-owned platforms, “while protecting them from harm”; a “Diversity, equity and inclusion” pillar focused on creating environments in which everyone has equal opportunities; a “Privacy and transparency” pillar, which looks at privacy-forward products and giving advertisers transparent ways to measure paid media; and a “Sustainability” pillar, which looks at environmental impact.

Meta further explains its approach to media responsibility and how the four pillars are being integrated into its family of apps on a mini-site it launched within the Meta for Business website, where it says ad partners and users can “hold us accountable, and see who we are working with,” such as the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM).

At the same time, Meta was sued by dozens of attorneys general on Tuesday for preying on its youngest users.

The company is being accused of taking advantage of minors through the knowing design and deployment of addictive features that have negatively affected the mental health of its youngest users, as well as violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by illegally collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent.