Social media concerns rise globally as platforms implement AI safeguards

A report from the Pew Research Center indicates growing global concern regarding the impact of social media on democracy. Across 37 countries, an increasing number of respondents believe social platforms manipulate and polarize the public. In the United States, 64% of adults surveyed believe social media harms democracy. This trend is particularly pronounced in wealthier nations such as the US, Canada, and the UK compared to lower-GDP countries like Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.

In response to these pressures and legal challenges facing companies like Meta, Snap, and TikTok, regulatory and platform-level changes are emerging. Australia has become the first nation to ban social media for children under 16, and 82% of Australian adults support such restrictions.

Concurrently, TikTok has announced enhanced safety measures to combat the rise of generative AI. The platform has applied AI labels to over 3 billion videos and is testing new systems to detect AI-generated spam and low-quality content. TikTok is also investing in digital literacy programs to help users identify synthetic media and has removed over 86 million fake accounts in the first three months of the year.