Meta has recently announced a new feature aimed at enhancing parental control over the activities of users under 18. This move allows parents to set time limits, block access to the app during certain times, and monitor who their children interact with online.
The changes come just a week after the Australian government revealed plans to introduce legislation limiting children's access to social media platforms.
The new "teen accounts" will initially be applied to users under the age of 16 who are signing up for Instagram, but Meta plans to eventually extend the feature to include all existing teenage accounts. Parents will have greater oversight under these new settings, such as the ability to see the content their children are engaging with, as well as who they are messaging.
Currently, teens who sign up for Instagram are already placed in the strictest privacy settings by default. This prevents adults from messaging them unless they are following each other and automatically mutes notifications during the night. However, with the teen accounts, users under 16 will now need parental permission to change these privacy settings.
In contrast, those aged 16-18 will be able to adjust the settings independently. Should a teen under 16 attempt to modify their settings, parents will be notified and can enforce additional restrictions, such as setting new time limits or blocking app usage at night.
This announcement follows the Australian government's decision to introduce legislation by the end of the year aimed at raising the minimum age for social media access. Although the exact age limit has yet to be determined, it is expected to fall somewhere between 14 and 16. If passed, Australia could become one of the first countries to implement such a restriction, with other nations, including the UK, watching closely.
Despite this, Meta emphasized that the new teen account feature was not a response to government action but rather a proactive move inspired by parental concerns worldwide. Antigone Davis, Meta's global safety director, explained that the company's decision was driven by the need to address the worries of parents regarding their children's social media use.
She pointed out that parents globally are thinking about these issues as social media has become an integral part of daily life for teenagers. Davis also hinted that similar measures could be implemented on Facebook, depending on what the company determines to be appropriate for different platforms.
Meta's decision to implement teen accounts globally, including in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, marks a significant step toward addressing concerns about youth safety on social media. The company hopes that these new features will strike a balance between protecting teens and acknowledging the role that social media plays in their lives.
The existing private account settings for under-18 users, which include sensitive content filters and requiring teens to approve new followers, will be incorporated into the new teen account features.