Meta has announced new safety measures aimed at young users of its platforms, including a restriction on livestreaming for children under 16 on Instagram unless they have parental consent. This change will initially roll out in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia before being implemented in other countries over the coming months.
The social media giant revealed its plan on Tuesday, expanding its safety features for users under 18 on Facebook and Messenger. This follows the launch of Instagram’s teen account program in September, designed to give parents more control over their children’s online activities amid rising concerns about social media’s impact on youth.
As part of these updates, users under 16 will no longer be able to use Instagram Live without parental approval. They will also need consent to disable a feature that blurs images with suspected nudity in direct messages.
In addition, Meta is extending the same safety measures used for Instagram to Facebook and Messenger. These include setting teen accounts to private by default, blocking private messages from strangers, limiting access to sensitive content such as violent videos, and enforcing reminders to take breaks after an hour of use. Notifications will also be disabled during bedtime hours.
Meta emphasized that at least 54 million teen accounts have been created since the program’s introduction last fall.
