Meta has announced the expansion of its “Teen Accounts” feature to Facebook and Messenger.
Initially introduced on Instagram in 2024, this initiative plans to provide a safer and more controlled environment for users under 18 by incorporating built-in protections and parental supervision tools.
Key Features of Teen Accounts
- Default Privacy Settings: Teen accounts are set to private by default, ensuring that only approved friends can view their posts, stories, reels, friends list, and followed pages.
- Messaging Restrictions: Teens can receive messages only from people they are connected with, such as friends or previous contacts. Individuals with their phone number can send message requests.
- Content Controls: The platforms automatically filter out sensitive and potentially offensive content, providing an age-appropriate experience for teen users.
- Interaction Limits: Teens must review posts they are tagged in before they appear on their profile, and the setting allowing anyone to remix their public reels is turned off by default.
- Time Management Tools: Teens receive reminders to take breaks after 60 minutes of daily usage, and notifications are muted during designated sleep hours (10 PM to 7 AM).
For users under 16, parental permission is required to modify these protective settings.
Supervision tools enable parents to manage their teen’s time on Facebook, approve or deny requests to adjust settings, and view insights about their teen’s activity, including friends and blocked contacts.
Additional Protections on Instagram
Meta isn’t leaving Instagram behind. In fact, the company is doubling down on protections:
- Live Streaming Restrictions: Teens under 16 will need parental approval to go live on the platform.
- Direct Message Controls: Images containing suspected nudity in direct messages will be blurred by default, and teens under 16 will require parental permission to disable this feature.
These measures are currently rolling out in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada, with plans for broader availability in the coming months.
Meta reports that since the introduction of Teen Accounts on Instagram, 97% of users aged 13 to 15 have retained the default protective settings, and 94% of U.S. parents find these measures helpful in supporting their teens’ online experiences.
