Meta and Google paid tens of millions of dollars to sponsor digital well-being lessons through trusted children’s brands — including Sesame Street, Girl Scouts, and Highlights magazine — even as internal documents show the companies were simultaneously designing apps that made it difficult for young users to stop scrolling, according to a Reuters investigation published May 14, 2026.
The programs, backed by the tech giants, delivered screen-time moderation lessons to hundreds of thousands of children and parents. Google pledged at least $20 million to groups promoting “digital well-being,” including paying Highlights magazine at least $5 million. Meta and Google both sponsored Girl Scouts curricula, with Meta’s Instagram funding a “digital leadership” badge program and Google sponsoring a separate “Be Internet Awesome Fun Patch.”
A 2024 Highlights special edition paid for by Google included instructions for making a “smartphone sleeping bag” for overnight device storage — content that seven parent advocates told Reuters normalizes smartphone ownership for children as young as six. Google also distributed 250,000 extra copies of the edition through organizations such as Save the Children.
Critics argue the partnerships amount to reputation management. “Their very business model relies on maximum time on device,” said Emily Boddy of U.S. Smartphone Free Childhood. “Their guidance or advice can’t be neutral.” Public health researcher Nora Kenworthy described the strategy as common among industries facing scrutiny, comparing it to past practices by tobacco and soda companies.
The sponsorships come as Meta and Google face multiple lawsuits alleging their products harmed youth mental health. The first case to reach trial resulted in a $6 million judgment against both companies.
Both companies defended the partnerships. Google said its curriculum is “accredited and reputable,” while Meta said it is “proud” of its work with online safety experts. Sesame Workshop stated that Google had no editorial control over its materials. Tiffany Munzer, lead author of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026 digital media guidelines, said the sponsored content addresses some real issues but noted companies still need to remove features like algorithmic recommendations that make devices harder for kids to put down.
Source: mint – technology