Teen restrictions expand on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger

Meta is broadening Instagram restrictions that prevent minors from being exposed to inappropriate contact and content, bringing those protections to Facebook and Messenger and adding new limits for teenage Instagram users. After introducing “Teen Accounts” to Instagram in September — which automatically make younger users’ accounts private and restrict them from accessing certain features — Meta has announced that “similar” protections are now available on Facebook and Messenger. This comes as Facebook has spent several years struggling to attract younger users to the app, losing ground to rival social media platforms like TikTok. Facebook and Messenger Teen Accounts are rolling out in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada starting today, with other regions coming “soon,” according to Meta. The company hasn’t specified which protections will be applied, but if it matches Instagram’s Teen Account rollout then changes will automatically apply to new and existing accounts for users under th ... Read full article.