Meta rolls out teen accounts globally to boost safety on Facebook & Messenger

Meta has announced the global expansion of its Teen Accounts feature across Facebook and Messenger, following its initial rollout on Instagram a year ago. The company stated that it has now placed ‘hundreds of millions of teens’ into these accounts across its various apps.

Teen Accounts include automatic protections that limit interactions and exposure to certain content, aimed at addressing parental concerns over safety and screen time.

Commenting ahead of the launch, Adam Mosserihttps://uk.linkedin.com/in/mosseri, Head of Instagram, said, “We want parents to feel good about their teens using social media. We know teens use apps like Instagram to connect with friends and explore their interests, and they should be able to do so without worrying about unsafe or inappropriate experiences. Teen Accounts are designed to give parents peace of mind. Since launching on Instagram a year ago, we’ve added limits on teens going Live, more restrictions in DMs, and also improved our ability to make sure people are in age-appropriate experiences. Supporting parents and helping teens use our apps safely is a responsibility we take seriously.”

Alongside parental protections, the company is also expanding support to schools and teachers. The company has launched the School Partnership Program for all US middle and high schools. The program is said to allow educators to directly report safety concerns, such as bullying, for prioritised review within 48 hours.

The initiative was piloted over the past year and made available to schools through a waitlist earlier this year.