Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, has announced the introduction of new parental control features aimed at enhancing online safety for teenagers. The updates include a parental supervision hub in Messenger, a feature that proactively blocks unwanted direct messages (DMs) on Messenger and Instagram, and prompts to remind teens to take breaks.
The Messenger supervision controls will be initially rolled out in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, with plans for further expansion. These tools enable guardians to monitor their teenagers’ privacy and safety settings, track changes in the Messenger contact list, and observe the amount of time spent on the app. Guardians will also receive notifications when their teen reports someone; however, explicit permission from the child is required for this notification feature.
Parents will have the ability to manage settings such as who can message their teens (limited to friends, friends of friends, or no one) and who can view their stories. Furthermore, guardians will be notified if their child modifies any of these settings.
In recent years, Instagram has implemented various measures to limit interactions between teens and unknown adults. As part of their latest efforts, the platform will now prompt individuals who are not connected with a user to send an invitation requesting permission to interact. These invitations will be text-only and limited to one at a time.
To discourage excessive usage, Instagram has introduced controls that encourage users to take breaks. The “Quiet mode” feature, initially launched in select countries, allows users to pause notifications and set auto-replies to indicate that they are taking a break. The company has now expanded the availability of “Quiet mode” globally.
Meta is extending the concept of encouraging breaks from Instagram to Facebook as well. Users will receive notifications after 20 minutes of usage, reminding them to take a break. Additionally, teens browsing Reels at night will be prompted to close the app.
To further enhance protection, Meta will notify teens on Instagram about the option for their guardians to supervise their accounts. Parents can now view mutual connections for accounts their teenager follows or those that follow them.
Earlier this year, Meta introduced controls over ad targeting for teens on Instagram and Facebook, and in February, it supported a tool that enables minors to prevent the posting of their intimate images online. However, the company still serves ads to teens despite a previous fine of over $400 million for violating GDPR rules related to children’s privacy.
These new parental control tools reflect Meta’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of teenage users across its social media platforms.
