EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Katie Britt wants Meta child safety protections expanded to every social media platform

Sen. Katie Britt says the child safety protections Meta agreed to in a settlement with state attorneys general should extend to every social media platform, including Google-owned YouTube and TikTok.

“I believe every social media platform has a responsibility to put the safety of our children first, and each should be making meaningful adjustments to their products that help protect the next generation,” the Alabama Republican told The Washington Reporter in an exclusive statement. “These protections should be the floor for online platforms that engage and profit off our children, not the ceiling.”

Britt’s statement is noteworthy as she is widely considered one of the most respected leaders in the Senate Republican Conference. As a deputy whip, she helps rally support for the party’s agenda, and she has made children’s online safety a priority. Britt is also singlehandedly responsible for passing the Laken Riley act in 2025–one of the most meaningful pieces of legislation passed this congress. 

Under the settlement, Meta agreed to new safeguards on Facebook and Instagram, including stronger measures to identify young users, limits on teens’ time on the apps and expanded parental controls. The agreement involved 52 attorneys general.

Britt said Meta should have acted years earlier.

“Meta is not suddenly putting our kids over their bottom line,” she said. “These new protections could have been implemented years ago, yet it seems like they won’t do that unless forced. The fact that it took a settlement with 52 attorneys general to get this done is a clear reminder of that.”

Her comments will increase pressure on Google, which owns YouTube, and TikTok to adopt comparable protections. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told The Washington Reporter last week that Congress should hold Big Tech accountable after he was asked whether Meta’s new restrictions should apply to those platforms.

Britt said the settlement should also spur Congress to act.

“This should also be yet another wake-up call to Congress that we have been completely feckless on passing legislation to protect our greatest asset—the next generation,” she said. “I will continue fighting in Congress to pass legislation that empowers parents and holds Big Tech accountable.”