Meta is expanding its Teen Accounts feature to Facebook and Messenger, extending safety tools that were first released on Instagram. The move, which targets users under 16, automatically places teens into a more protective app experience. Launching first in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, Teen Accounts will reach other regions in the coming months.
Teen Accounts offer safety features such as limited interactions—meaning teenagers will only receive messages from people they already follow or have already messaged. Their stories can only be viewed and responded to by their friends, and tags, mentions, and comments are restricted to their contacts. Teens also receive daily usage reminders and are automatically switched to "Quiet Mode" at night.
Meta claims that these changes are aimed at reducing exposure to inappropriate content and unwanted interaction. As part of this expansion, the company is also tightening Instagram's restrictions: kids under 16 will require parental authorization to go live or disable the nudity production filter, which blurs suspected nude images in indirect messages. These modifications come in accordance with increasing concerns about online grooming and sextortion aimed at teenagers.
While Meta claims that 97% of teens aged 13-15 benefit from the built-in protections and that 94% of surveyed parents found Teen Accounts useful, experts recommend more investigation. Professor Sonia Livingstone of the Digital Futures for Children Centre applauded the move but stressed that it raises continued concerns about Meta's overall commitment towards protecting kids from online abuse and data-driven tactics.
Mr. Sowewimo of the NSPCC agreed, emphasizing that child safety shouldn’t rely exclusively on families. "Tech companies must be held responsible," he said, urging regulators like Ofcom to enforce accountability.
With 54 million teens now using Instagram Teen Accounts, Meta is trying to create safe digital environments for younger users. However, the expansion to Facebook and Messenger will undoubtedly raise further questions about how successfully these regulations are enforced and if they go far enough.