{"slug": "letters-state-ags-must-ensure-that-meta-enacts-and-follows-new-rules", "title": "Letters: State AGs must ensure that Meta enacts and follows new rules", "summary": "The Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa supports Meta's settlement with 47 states and other territories to implement new child safety rules on Facebook and Instagram, including time limits, notification restrictions, and privacy protections. Executive Director Carol Carrillo urges state attorneys general to vigorously oversee the development and implementation of these protections, which she says are long overdue to secure children from cyberbullying and sexual predators.", "body_md": "**Getting your**\n\n[Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...**Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.**\n\n#### State AGs must ensure Meta rules take hold\n\nRe: “[Meta agrees to limits for kids](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/08/26/facebook-and-instagram-must-put-kids-on-a-clock-under-landmark-17-billion-meta-deal/)” (Page A1, Aug. 27).\n\nThe Child Abuse Prevention Council supports upcoming changes to social media by Meta resulting from their settlement agreement with 47 states and other territories.\n\nThe settlement with Meta will likely be followed by similar agreements with other platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Snap to ensure broader protection for children. The agreement requires the platforms to increase child safety by limiting the amount of time spent on platforms, prohibiting features that affect mental health issues, ceasing notifications at night or during school hours and respecting states’ child privacy and consumer protection laws.\n\nThese social media protections for children are long overdue. They will help secure children from cyberbullying, sexual predators and other vulnerabilities. Just as more than 47 states’ attorneys general pursued this settlement, we encourage them to vigorously oversee the development and implementation of these protections.\n\n**Carol Carrillo**\n\n*Executive Director, Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa*\n\n*Concord*\n\n#### Parton set an example for the wealthy\n\nRe: “[Bay Area fondly recalls an icon](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/08/25/dolly-parton-obit-appreciation-bay-area/)” (Page A1, Aug. 26).\n\nDolly Parton has died, and America has lost one of its greatest celebrities; one who was often criticized by some for enhancing her body throughout her career as a successful entertainer.\n\nPerhaps those critics failed to see that underneath her looks lay a person of great kindness and generosity. She never made a show of her wealth, but gave much of it away, money for health care research, books for children, and more.\n\nShe was a role model for the massively rich and successful.\n\nI once heard a priest say in a homily at church, “The more you are given, the more is expected of you.” Dolly Parton fulfilled all the requirements as a person of means who used her success in life to benefit others.\n\nIn deciding what to do with their enormous largess, billionaires might want to consider her wisdom and ask themselves: What would Dolly do?\n\n**Teri Shikany**\n\n*Danville*\n\n#### Pinole residents should get informed and vote\n\nThis year, residents of Pinole have some important choices to make in the upcoming November election. There are three open City Council seats, and all three incumbents are not running for reelection.\n\nOf the five candidates who have qualified to be on the ballot, I am supporting the following three: Matt Avery, Christy Lam-Julian and Libby Duarte.\n\nIn my opinion, and in the research that I have done, they are the most qualified and will bring the most experience to the City Council. They also all have extensive professional careers and life experience.\n\nIn the coming years, Pinole will face some serious decisions and actions regarding public safety, infrastructure repair and economic vitality.\n\nI encourage all residents to participate in the election process, do your own homework and ensure that you cast your ballot.\n\n**Stephen Tilton**\n\n*Pinole*\n\n#### Renaming ship would continue Trump’s racism\n\nIt should sicken every patriotic American to learn that, under the Trump administration, the aircraft carrier already christened the USS Doris Miller in 2020 is under consideration to be renamed for Trump. Miller was a World War II hero during the attack on Pearl Harbor.\n\nThis is particularly ironic given Trump was a draft dodger who had five deferments. The podiatrist who gave him the bone spurs diagnosis, [Dr. Larry Braunstein](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/26/us/politics/trump-vietnam-draft-exemption.html), rented his office space from Donald’s father. Braunstein’s daughters stated their father gave the diagnosis in 1968 as a professional favor to Trump’s father, Fred Trump, so Donald could avoid the draft and Vietnam War.\n\nThis possibility is especially worrisome given that Miller was African American. Under Trump’s second term, women and people of color have been taken off promotion lists in the U.S. military. This, along with orders given to ICE, show glaring racism and misogynistic behavior.\n\n**Kit Miller**\n\n*Walnut Creek*\n\n#### Will Trump ever learn to be magnanimous\n\nAn incident from my kindergarten days has become a pertinent example of current events.\n\nOne recess, a group of kids joined me in building a “sand castle.” The bad boy of the class (let’s call him “Donny”) decided to compete and outdo our effort. With six or so kids on our team, Donny soon realized he would not win, and so came over and stomped on our “castle,” destroying it.\n\nNow, a 2026 “Donny” has had his name removed from the Kennedy Center. His “kindergarten threat”: If he isn’t allowed to “win” (have his name on the Kennedy Center), he says he will tear it down.\n\nThis 2026 “Donny” needs to learn what it is like to be a responsible 5-year-old: You don’t always get what you want, you don’t get to “win” every time, and there are responsible ways to act.\n\n**Doug McClelland**\n\n*Brentwood*", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/letters-state-ags-must-ensure-that-meta-enacts-and-follows-new-rules", "canonical_source": "https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/09/01/letters-state-ags-ensure-meta-enacts-rules/", "published_at": "2026-09-01 23:30:15+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-09-01 23:51:38.669658+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy"], "entities": ["Meta", "Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa", "Carol Carrillo", "Facebook", "Instagram", "TikTok", "YouTube", "Snap"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/letters-state-ags-must-ensure-that-meta-enacts-and-follows-new-rules", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/letters-state-ags-must-ensure-that-meta-enacts-and-follows-new-rules.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/letters-state-ags-must-ensure-that-meta-enacts-and-follows-new-rules.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/letters-state-ags-must-ensure-that-meta-enacts-and-follows-new-rules.jsonld"}}