Meta wants teenagers to have safe and age-appropriate experiences on Meta apps. Meta have created over 30 tools and resources to help kids and their parents, and Meta spent over a decade building policies and technology to address anything that violates Meta rules or may be perceived as sensitive. Today, Meta unveiled new safeguards aimed at the types of content teens encounter on Instagram and Facebook. 

New Content Policy for Teens

Meta frequently works with experts in adolescent development, psychology, and mental health to ensure that Meta platforms are safe and age-appropriate for young people, including refining Meta understanding of which types of content may be inappropriate for teenagers.

Meta is changing its standards about content that may be more sensitive for kids, which is a significant step toward creating social media platforms where teens may communicate and be creative in age-appropriate ways. These regulations reflect current knowledge and expert advice on teen safety and well-being. As these changes take place, parents will have enough opportunities to discuss with their teenagers how to deal with challenging issues.

Changes to Instagram and Facebook's Content Recommendation Settings for Teens

On Instagram and Facebook, Meta automatically sets the most restrictive content control settings for teens. Meta already uses this setting for new teens when they join Instagram and Facebook, and Meta is expanding it to teens who already use these applications.Meta content suggestion rules, known as "Sensitive Content Control" on Instagram and "Reduce" on Facebook, make it more difficult for users to discover potentially sensitive information or profiles in places like Search and Explore.

Allowing Teens to Easily Update Their Privacy Settings

To ensure that kids consistently check their Instagram safety and privacy settings and are aware of the more private options available, Meta sends new notifications encouraging them to adjust their settings to a more private experience with a single tap. If they select "Turn on recommended settings," Meta will automatically adjust their settings to limit who can repost their content, tag or mention them, or include it in Reels Remixes. Meta will also make sure that only their followers can message them and help hide any nasty comments.