On a similar note; a family member was being exposed to intense and violent content over Facebook. There was no block, ignore, or report feature on the content exposed. The only option we could find, after researching it; was a “show less of this content” setting buried deep in the Facebook web app (not even available on the standalone app).
Honestly; if the account owner has little option to manage the content they are exposed to.. ugh!
That point is that even the user making positive attempts to moderate their experience on the platform is futile and in my experience largely ignored. (I actually have the experience that it then shows me more of that content.)
Social media platforms are keenly aware that anger and fear drive significantly more engagement and whistleblowers have detailed how Facebook prioritises this content, shovelling it to users specifically to drive usage (and with that ad value and ad impressions).(1)(2)(3)(4)
There is a deep commercial incentive for social media networks to act against their own "community guidelines" and legislation. I applaud Australia's direction for recognising that these networks are not acting in good faith and introducing measures that address the proven harms.(5)
1. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-whistleblower-frances-...
2. https://thehill.com/changing-america/enrichment/arts-culture...
3. https://time.com/6103645/facebook-whistleblower-frances-haug...
4. https://time.com/6097704/facebook-instagram-wall-street-jour...
5. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039
I simply don't use it.
I didn't need any government "assistance".
Personally I would like them to regulate what kind of info the algorithms are allowed to use to profile people. No super-focused targeting.
I am definitely not alone in submitting a report about a fake profile only for the system to nearly automatically deny it. Even when the real person being impersonated is literally sitting next to me asking me to help them submit the report. Even illegal drug dealers operate in the open on Meta properties with no recourse whatsoever.
The process of eliminating a huge swath of fake and harmful content could be implemented trivially, we have so many ways of muting or limiting the spread of information which is unvetted, dubious origin, has outlier qualities and so on - yet nothing of the type is engaged by these networks to obvious harmful consequences.