GoKawiilA non-personalized feed option: In four months, Facebook and Instagram must give teens the “reasonably accessible” option of a default feed that isn’t personalized by Meta’s recommendation engine. Meta will occasionally send teens reminders about this option, and parents will also be able to set it as their child’s default setting.
Age assurance: Meta has agreed to ramp up efforts to identify and apply restrictions to underage users on the platform. Under the settlement, Meta must either continue to develop its own age assurance standard or adopt a third-party option. The method must evaluate whether a user is under 13, so they can be removed from the platform, or identify if someone is aged 13 to 17, in which case they would receive teen account protections. New users who haven’t yet been evaluated by Meta’s system will receive teen protections by default. Meta must also adhere to data minimization policies, implement a process for users to appeal their status as a minor, and have its age assurance system reviewed by an independent auditor.
Two-hour time limit: Teens will only be able to use Instagram and Facebook — cumulatively — for two hours per day, unless the limit is turned off by a parent. Meta will apply the time limit not only across both apps, but across a user’s alternate account if it detects one. As noted in the settlement agreement, time spent consuming videos or audio more than 22 minutes long, messaging, or using an app’s settings won’t count toward the limit, which will reset at 12AM each day.
Persistent prompts: Within four months, Meta is required to show teens prompts every 15 minutes that they continually scroll on Instagram and Facebook to prevent “excessive, mindless, or unintended” usage. The platforms will also send prompts after 60 minutes and 90 minutes. An example of the notification included in the settlement shows a message saying, “You’ve scrolled for a while. Try exploring something new,” with a prompt for users to view content related to other topics and to review their algorithm. Parents can change this setting to be less or more restrictive.
Nighttime restrictions: Meta will block teens from accessing most of Facebook and Instagram between midnight and 6AM. During this time, teens can’t post on either platform or view feeds, stories, reels, or scroll through their Explore page. Teens will still be able to access messaging features and account settings at night, and parents, again, can adjust the setting.
Muted notifications during the school day: Teens won’t receive push notifications by default between 8AM and 3PM, except for “direct messages and alerts about their account security or safety,” unless the setting is changed by a parent.
Toggle off autoplay: Teens will get the option to turn off autoplay, which means they’ll have to tap or swipe their screen to view content, rather than Instagram or Facebook playing it as soon as it appears on their screen.
No more visible likes: Facebook and Instagram will begin hiding the number of likes and reactions on teens’ posts by default, and will stop showing them on other posts as well.