They paid them to look worried. And to look grateful, too.
Meta is in the weeds. Again. A new report from the Tech Transparency Project claims the company recruited hundreds of parenting influencers to fix its reputation after losing a string of lawsuits. The target? The public’s anger over child safety on Instagram and Facebook. The method? Cooing, curated content.
It’s not subtle. The report suggests Meta invited these creators to special events. There was champagne, probably. Maybe nice notebooks. Then they sent them home to film posts about “Teen Accounts.”
These accounts are real, sure. They limit unwanted contact. They hide some harmful stuff. But the promotion? That feels engineered.
Who was doing the talking?
Sadie Robertson Huff. You know her. Duck Dynasty. Millions of followers. In a 2024 post, she called the new accounts “absolutely incredible.” She disclosed it was a partnership. Fine. Legal? Yes. Persuasive? Only if you don’t check her DMs.
Others joined in. Alexia Delarosa. Noelle Downing. Leroy Garrett. Reality stars with reach. They praised the system right after the invites rolled out.
“It’s vital that we all serve a safer online environment.”
That’s what Garrett told CNN later. He defends the collab. Says we need to “navigate these issues together.” It sounds reasonable until you remember the company paid him to say it.
Meta isn’t alone. TikTok does this. Snapchat does this. Roblox? Same game. But Meta is fighting harder right now.
The Tech Transparency Project didn’t just track moms. They found eleven doctors and psychologists in the mix, too. Dr. Hina Talib, an adolescent specialist. Dr. Ann-Louise Lockheart, a psychologist. Both posted support. Both disclosed the money. Talib insisted she used her own words. Sure she did.
The political angle
Why bother with the influencers? Why not just fix the code?
Because legislation is the real battlefield.
The report accuses Meta of running an “astroturf” campaign. Fake grass, real roots. The goal? Pushing bills that make Apple and Google verify ages for minors. Not Instagram. Not Meta. The app stores.
It’s a clever dodge. Shift the blame to the gatekeepers. If you’re eight and trying to download Instagram, the store checks your ID. Meta says this empowers parents. Gives them the power to approve or block.
Does it?
Experts say no. It’s a band-aid. A shallow one. Verifying age at download doesn’t stop the infinite scroll. It doesn’t kill the dopamine loops. It just moves the checkpoint.
Meta tells the press they’re just “educating parents.” They claim critics want headlines, not help.
Who do you think is more interested in your attention? The algorithm. Or the influencer with the ring light.
The lawsuits are piling up. Raul Torrez, New Mexico’s AG, alleged failures regarding sexual exploitation. That one stings. It sticks.
So here we are. A giant tech firm buying credibility in increments. One video at a time.
Maybe it works. Maybe it doesn’t.
But the feed keeps loading. And so do the ads.
