FTC to Scrutinize Product Design for Kids' Safety

Commissioner says agency will examine platform design in assessing risks to children's privacy

Mar. 30, 2026 at 9:13pm

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A highly detailed 3D illustration of glowing, neon-lit digital infrastructure components like circuit boards, fiber optic cables, and server racks, conceptually representing the complex technological systems that underpin online platforms and services and the need to carefully consider their design impacts on user safety and privacy.The FTC's scrutiny of platform design choices aims to uncover hidden risks to children's online safety and privacy.Washington Today

The Federal Trade Commission plans to take a close look at how digital platforms are designed when evaluating potential risks to children's privacy and safety, according to FTC Commissioner Mark Meador. While the agency won't be digging into every platform's design, Meador said the FTC's analysis of potential harms in the marketplace will inevitably include examining how those platforms are designed.

Why it matters

This signals the FTC is taking a more proactive approach to protecting children online, moving beyond just enforcing existing privacy laws to also scrutinizing the underlying design choices that could expose young users to harm. It reflects growing concerns about the impact of social media and other digital technologies on kids' wellbeing.

The details

Meador, a Republican commissioner, said the FTC will assess whether it has the legal means to address any identified design-related risks and determine the best way to do so. He made the comments at a Washington event hosted by the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

  • Meador's remarks were made on March 30, 2026.

The players

Mark Meador

A Republican commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission.

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What they’re saying

“I don't want to make it sound like we're digging into every platform's design. We look at where there's harm in the marketplace, and do we have the legal means to address it, and how do we best address it?”

— Mark Meador, FTC Commissioner

What’s next

The FTC is expected to provide more details on its approach to evaluating digital platform design in the coming months as part of its broader efforts to protect children's online safety and privacy.

The takeaway

The FTC's focus on platform design signals a shift toward a more proactive, holistic approach to regulating tech companies and safeguarding young users, rather than just reacting to specific privacy violations after the fact.