In a continued effort to make social media safer for younger users, Meta is expanding its Teen Accounts feature to Facebook and Messenger, following a successful rollout on Instagram last September. These enhanced safety-focused accounts are designed to provide teens with a more secure, limited, and age-appropriate digital environment.
Initially launching in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, Teen Accounts will soon roll out to additional regions as Meta aims to create a consistent experience for young users across all its major platforms.
What Are Teen Accounts?
Teen Accounts are specially designed app experiences that automatically apply safety and privacy protections for users under a certain age—primarily those under 16 years old. The feature was first introduced on Instagram after mounting criticism from U.S. lawmakers and child safety advocates, who accused major social networks of failing to do enough to protect teens online.
With this latest expansion, Meta is aligning Facebook and Messenger with Instagram’s teen safety model to ensure that young users enjoy the same level of protection across the board.
Key Features and Restrictions
Meta’s Teen Accounts introduce several layers of protection aimed at minimizing exposure to inappropriate content, unwanted interactions, and digital overuse. Here are the standout features:
🔒 Restricted Messaging
- Teens will only receive messages from people they already follow or have previously messaged.
- Strangers and unverified contacts are automatically filtered out, reducing the risk of harassment or unsolicited messages.
🧑🤝🧑 Story & Interaction Controls
- Only friends can view and reply to a teen’s stories.
- Tags, Mentions, and Comments are restricted to followers or friends, preventing public spamming and targeting.
⏳ Screen Time Reminders
- Teens will receive daily reminders after one hour of usage on the platforms.
- They are also automatically enrolled in “Quiet Mode” overnight to encourage healthier digital habits and reduce sleep disruption.
👨👩👧 Parental Permissions
- Teens under 16 will require parental approval to change key privacy or safety settings.
- On Instagram, they cannot go live without parental consent and cannot disable blurred images in DMs that contain suspected nudity without approval.
Why Now? A Response to Mental Health Concerns
These new features aren’t just cosmetic—they come in response to growing concerns from health professionals, lawmakers, and parents about the mental health risks associated with social media use among teens.
The U.S. Surgeon General and multiple U.S. states have expressed alarm over the negative impacts social media can have on young users, leading to proposals—and in some cases, legislation—that would restrict teen access to these platforms unless parental consent is provided.
Meta’s Teen Accounts represent the tech giant’s most comprehensive response yet, aiming to strike a balance between enabling digital connection and protecting mental health.
Promising Results from Instagram’s Rollout
Meta has already shared encouraging results from Teen Accounts on Instagram:
- Over 54 million teen users have been automatically moved into Teen Accounts.
- An impressive 97% of teens aged 13–15 have kept the default built-in protections enabled.
- According to a study by Ipsos, commissioned by Meta, 94% of surveyed parents found Teen Accounts helpful, and 85% said they made it easier to support their teens’ social media experience.
The Road Ahead
Meta’s move to extend Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger is a significant step toward creating a safer online ecosystem for young people. While the company hasn’t revealed the complete list of restrictions and protections yet, its trajectory suggests a broader push toward responsible design, age-appropriate experiences, and increased transparency with parents.
As the rollout continues globally, parents, educators, and advocates will be closely watching how these protections hold up and what impact they have on teens’ digital behavior.
With more features likely to emerge and existing tools expected to evolve, one thing is clear: Meta is taking its role in teen safety more seriously than ever before.
Stay tuned for updates as these features reach more regions and continue to shape the future of social media safety for the next generation.
