Meta imposes strict restrictions on messaging for teens
Meta has announced new restrictions on Facebook and Instagram direct messaging for teens to prevent anyone from messaging them without permission. Instagram now limits the ability of adults aged 18 and older to send messages to teens they don't follow.
These new limits apply to all users under the age of 16 by default, and Meta notifies existing users of the change through notifications. Messenger users receive messages from friends within Facebook or people in their contacts.
Meta is also improving parental controls by allowing guardians to approve or reject changes made by teens to default privacy settings. Previously, parents would receive notifications when teens changed these settings but couldn't take any action.
The company provided an example that guardians can block changes if a teenage user tries to make their account public instead of private, modify sensitivity control from "little" to "standard," or change the control over sending messages.
Meta introduced parental supervision tools for Instagram for the first time in 2022, giving parents insight into their teen's use. The company also plans to launch a feature that prevents teens from seeing unwanted and inappropriate images in their direct messages.
The company stated that this feature works in encrypted conversations between the two parties, preventing teenagers from sending such photos. However, Meta did not specify how to ensure the privacy of teens while implementing these features and did not provide details on what it deems inappropriate.
Earlier this month, the company introduced new tools to restrict teens' access to content related to self-harm or eating disorders on Facebook and Instagram.