Meta Tightens Its Stance in Social Media Rivalry

The rivalry between social media giants has intensified, with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, restricting advertisements from ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, across seven countries. The restriction took immediate effect in the United States, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. It also covers third party advertisements that direct users to TikTok or other ByteDance owned services. Meta said it was not obligated to provide advertising services to a competitor seeking to draw users away from its platforms.

The move also comes amid growing scrutiny of social media platforms over the safety of young users. Meta has agreed to measures aimed at limiting minors’ social media use, including time restrictions and controls on nighttime access, as part of an agreement with US state attorneys general. The company has called for similar steps from TikTok and YouTube. Meanwhile, reports indicate that TikTok has also restricted certain links to competing social media platforms. TikTok and ByteDance had not issued an immediate response to Meta’s latest move.