The top US data privacy regulator has accused Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, of failing to implement adequate parental controls.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also stated that Meta should be prohibited from profiting from children’s data.

“The company’s recklessness has put young users at risk, and Facebook needs to answer for its failures,” it stated.

Meta responded by calling the regulator’s action a “political stunt” and accusing it of exceeding its powers.

According to the FTC, an independent review discovered “several gaps and weaknesses in Facebook’s privacy program” that created “significant risks to the public.”

Users under the age of 13 were discovered to be able to engage in discussions with contacts who had not been approved by their parents.

The regulator also stated that Meta continued to grant third-party apps access to sensitive information despite pledging to revoke access if users did not use the apps after 90 days.

The FTC has proposed a number of measures, including:

A universal prohibition on monetizing data from children and teenagers under the age of 18.
A halt in the launch of new items until it could be determined that they were fully compliant with privacy standards.
Future applications of facial recognition technology are restricted. Meta would be forced to disclose any future usage of face recognition technology and seek users’ explicit approval.
Andy Stone, Meta’s representative, responded by calling the move a “political stunt.”

He claimed that Meta was being singled out “while allowing Chinese companies, such as TikTok, to operate freely on American soil.”

He also accused FTC Chair Lina Khan of antagonizing American companies.