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Chicago leaders push Meta for stronger action on teen gatherings
City leaders are taking a new approach to stopping large teen gatherings by working directly with social media companies.
CHICAGO - City leaders are taking a new approach to stopping large teen gatherings by working directly with social media companies.
After meeting with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Ald. William Hall (6th Ward) said both sides are now focused on creating a clearer, faster response to posts that promote these events.
The goal is to stop gatherings before they happen by addressing how information spreads online. City leaders said the plan could eventually be turned into law.
What we know:
Hall said he left the meeting with Meta feeling optimistic about next steps. He added the issue is not a lack of rules, but making sure those rules are enforced.
During the meeting, city leaders showed examples of online messages and flyers promoting gatherings, some using coded language and emojis to get around filters. Hall said Meta leaders were surprised by how easily those messages were spreading and agreed more needs to be done.
City leaders say they want Meta to take a more proactive role by identifying and removing posts tied to these events more quickly. They also want better coordination between the company, police, and city officials when these gatherings are being planned.
What they're saying:
Hall said the responsibility goes beyond the city and parents, and that social media companies must play a larger role. He said the focus now is on enforcing existing guidelines and using available tools to better monitor harmful content.
Hall compared this to other technology.
"When looking for a specific car, you got plate readers. When you're looking for specific suspects that are wearing certain types of clothes, cameras can zoom in," Hall said. "You're telling me that a social media company doesn't have the tools to zero in on certain images that are being reported to them, certain phrases that are been reported to him, or certain problematic accounts that are be identified over and over and again? So we're asking for a bigger step, not just one step."
He also said Chicago could lead the way. If the city is able to create a working plan with Meta, he believes other cities could follow.
"And if Chicago gets it right, which we are planning to get it right then Atlanta, Detroit and other cities alike will get it," Hall said.
What's next:
City leaders and Meta plan to exchange drafts this week and meet again next Monday. The goal is to finalize a written plan that outlines responsibilities and response times.
If approved, that plan could be introduced to the Chicago City Council as an ordinance for passage into law.