Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has unveiled a new feature called ‘teen accounts’ designed to improve safety for users under 18. Announced in a blog post on Tuesday, this update will automatically convert all under-18 accounts to teen accounts, with privacy settings activated by default.
With this change, messages will only be received from people they follow or are already connected with. The platform will also impose restrictions on “sensitive content,” such as violent material and videos promoting cosmetic enhancements, and will filter out offensive language from comments and direct messages.
Teenagers will now get a prompt to take a break after 60 minutes of daily app usage. Additionally, a “sleep mode” will automatically mute notifications from 10 pm to 7 am and send auto-replies to messages, advising contacts to reach out during the day. Users under 16 will need parental consent to change these default settings, while those aged 16 and 17 can alter them without such approval.
Parents will have access to tools to monitor their children’s activity and set limits on their app usage. This feature is set to roll out within the next 60 days in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, with a broader release planned for January. Teen accounts will also be introduced to Meta’s other social media platforms in 2025.
