Labour MP Melanie Ward was shocked when she discovered vile antisemitic comments on an experimental teen Instagram account within just 11 minutes. Ward is now challenging Meta, the owner of Instagram and Facebook, after her 17-year-old account was exposed to a video featuring a banned “Manosphere” influencer.
The tech firm is being accused by Ward of misleading parents and lawmakers about the effectiveness of their Teen Account feature. During her test in March, Ward came across a video of influencer Sneako despite not following any accounts or conducting searches.
In the video, Sneako’s guest made derogatory remarks about wealthy Jewish business people allegedly having connections to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. Sneako, also known as Nicolas Kenn De Balinthazy, was featured in Louis Theroux’s recent Netflix documentary exploring a controversial network of ultra-masculine online influencers.
Known for promoting antisemitic content, Sneako has a history of spreading hateful messages, including singing a condemned song by Kanye West in a nightclub. Ward, who advocates for a social media ban for those under 16, has demanded a meeting with Meta’s UK Country Director to address the issue.
In a letter to Meta, Ward expressed deep concern over the exposure to racially motivated conspiracy theories and hate on the account she created. She highlighted the failure of Meta’s safeguards and emphasized the need for better protection of young users during their formative years.
Instagram introduced Teen Accounts in 2024 for teenagers aged 13-17 to control contact and content exposure. The Government is preparing to enhance social media safety measures for children following a consultation period. Proposed measures include a potential social media ban for children, limits on addictive features, and curfews.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has pledged to hold tech companies accountable for safeguarding children online. Meta has been reached out to for comments and is reportedly engaging with Ward regarding her concerns.