Meta rolls out new teen account safety features across Instagram, Facebook and Messenger

Meta is working to roll out a series of new protective features for teen accounts across its major social platforms — Instagram, Facebook and Messenger — on a global scale.

The central aim of the initiative is to ensure that content served to younger users remains age-appropriate, as the company faces mounting pressure over child safety online.

A global expansion of earlier protections

The campaign was initially trialled in a selection of countries as part of efforts to shield children from prohibited material.

Alongside those existing safeguards, Meta has also announced a distinct feature designed to diversify the content that teenagers encounter, with the specific goal of preventing repeated exposure to particular themes.

Legal and financial pressure mounts

The moves come against a backdrop of significant legal and regulatory scrutiny. Meta had previously cautioned investors about the risk of legal and financial consequences in both the European Union and the United States, as concerns over the impact of social media on young people continue to grow, with potential ramifications for its broader business operations.

A Los Angeles jury on 25 March found both Meta and Alphabet culpable for designing social media platforms in ways deemed harmful to young people.

In response to such findings, Meta's platforms already apply default content settings restricted to users aged 13 and above on teen accounts, in order to filter out inappropriate material.

Balancing helpful and harmful content

Meta has acknowledged the nuanced challenge of moderating content that may be beneficial in moderation but damaging when consumed repeatedly.

"We recognize that some content — like posts about nutrition, ⁠weightlifting, or how to cope with anxiety — can be helpful, but it should be balanced with other types of content rather than shown repeatedly," the company said.

New 'Limited Content' settings on the way

To address these concerns further, Meta confirmed it is actively working to introduce a "Limited Content" setting later this year.

The new option will offer a more restricted experience specifically for users on Facebook and Messenger.

In addition, Instagram is currently testing a feature intended to prevent teenagers from being served excessive amounts of any one type of content, helping to ensure a more balanced and safer feed for younger users.