Child social media regulations-Guyana examining Meta’s US$18B settlement, other models as blueprint – AG

Last month’s US$18 billion settlement by Meta over claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children is being examined by authorities as Guyana looks to establish its own social media regulatory framework. This is according Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall during a recent interview with reporters on the sidelines of an event in Georgetown. “We have also taken into account the recent litigation developments that have occurred across the United States of America (USA) in several States in which Meta has been ordered to pay several billion dollars in compensation. We have rulings from the court and we are drawing from them, the relevant legal principles. We even have the court proceedings that were filed so that we can understand the way that the issues were formulated and placed before the court,” Nandlall told reporters on Thursday. In the August 2026 settlement, the US social media giant agreed to pay out US$18 billion and establish a series of safeguards for teenage users including daily usage limits and blocks on night-time use across the US. This was after dozens of US States and territories accused Meta of addicting and harming children with dangerous products via its Instagram and Facebook apps in a landmark lawsuit filed in 2023.

According to AG Nandlall, this is just one of the global documents and models that they are considering in establishing Guyana’s own social media regulations. In fact, the Guyana Government has already retained a United Kingdom (UK)-based firm to study international models and draft a legal framework for regulating children’s access to social media. “That process is ongoing,” the Legal Affairs Minister updated the media on Thursday. In addition, he noted that Guyana has also received a first draft of a regional document looking at regulating children’s access to social media across the Caribbean. At the last Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Meeting held back in July in St Lucia, Heads of Government had agreed to pursue a collective approach on this issue and had commissioned a consultant to undertake the initiative. But even as work advances on establishing social media regulations in Guyana, Minister Nandlall underscored the importance of balancing this framework. “So, we have number of sources of documents that we are examining together to ensure that we have a modern, comprehensive and transparent framework that is in keeping with modern realities of social media but most importantly, ensuring that the rights, freedoms and liberties of the individual are preserved.” “You don’t want any measure that will, in any form or fashion, infringe the constitutional right of expression and other liberties guaranteed to the citizens of Guyana. So, we have to be careful that we strike a balance that accords with mischief we are trying to prevent as well as freedoms and liberties of the individual,” the AG posited. Already, the Guyana Government has conducted national public consultations with various stakeholders on addressing the harmful impact of social media addiction on children. In fact, the Government has also officially reached out to Meta to request a formal institutional arrangement to manage and regulate harmful digital content. During one of the consultation sessions back in June, Nandlall had pointed out that litigations and court orders against Meta proves that ‘Big Tech’ is not beyond the reach of Guyanese law.

“At one time, it was said that you can’t sue because they have no presence in Guyana. That is not so. The courts across the regions – Africa, Asia, Europe – have already decided that issue. And in Guyana now, we have pending litigation against Meta. We have obtained court orders against Meta, and they have a portal which you register the order on and they act upon the order,” Nandlall had explained. The national consultation comes amid growing international concern over the impact of social media on children and adolescents. Governments in several countries have introduced or are considering measures aimed at addressing issues such as cyberbullying, mental health challenges, online exploitation and exposure to inappropriate content. Australia has already moved to restrict access to certain social media platforms for users under the age of 16, while a number of European countries are exploring stronger age-verification requirements and additional protections for young users. Policymakers in those jurisdictions have also called on technology companies to take greater responsibility for child safety on their platforms.