Ofcom investigates Meta over Instagram Instants feature
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The regulator said Instagram had not fully assessed risks posed by its Instants feature prior to launching it.
The one-panel cartoon
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A high-tech conference room with large screens displaying Instagram's new 'Instants' feature, where a team of developers and marketers are engrossed in the launch presentation, oblivious to the piles of regulatory complaints and legal notices stacked on the floor.
Caption: When the future arrives before the red tape
Read the full 3-panel strip
Based on the original story on bbc.co.uk.
Editor's note
Meta's rush to roll out Instagram Instants smacks of prioritizing shiny new features over user safety, a pattern all too familiar in the AI hype cycle. Ofcom's investigation is a timely reminder that behind the buzzwords lies a real need for thorough risk assessment and user protection.
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Panel 1
A meeting room at Ofcom.
Ofcom Official: Mr. Smith, can you explain why Instagram launched Instants without a proper risk assessment?
Meta Rep: Ah, yes. Well, we were, uh, focused on the 'instant' aspect.
Panel 2
The Meta Rep's office, cluttered with tech gadgets and papers.
Meta Rep: I mean, Instants are all about speed and convenience. We didn't want to slow down the process with... bureaucratic hurdles.
Panel 3
A conference room at Meta HQ. A slide on a screen reads:
Narrator: Launching Instants: How We Cut Corners for Speed.
Meta Rep: But rest assured, we're taking Ofcom's concerns seriously. We'll add a few more checks... After the feature goes viral, of course.
Ofcom Official: Viral? You mean popular?
Meta Rep: Exactly. Popular with teenagers. They love instant gratification.
Ofcom Official: And you’re only adding checks after it’s a hit?
Meta Rep: Sure, why not? That’s how we roll at Meta.
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