Meta Enhances Teen Safety: New Parental Controls on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger

Meta Platforms is expanding its safety measures for teenagers across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, starting April 8, 2025. The new features, initially rolling out in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, include requiring parental approval for teens under 16 to start Instagram Live broadcasts or disable the blurring of potentially nude images in direct messages. These changes build upon the introduction of Instagram Teen Accounts in September 2024, which automatically set accounts to private and implemented restrictions on messaging and sensitive content. Meta reports that 97% of teens aged 13-15 have kept these default restrictions active. The expansion brings similar protections to Facebook and Messenger, offering private account defaults, blocked messages from strangers, limits on sensitive content, usage reminders, and bedtime notifications. Meta's teen account program has seen at least 54 million accounts created. The company aims to provide parents with greater peace of mind regarding their teens' online experiences across Meta's platforms.