Meta expands global teen safety settings on Instagram and Facebook

Meta is taking its teen safety features global. The social media giant announced Tuesday that it is expanding strict content controls for teenage accounts across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger worldwide, while simultaneously testing a brand-new tool designed to break up repetitive algorithmic loops.

The global rollout scales up an initiative first trialed in select countries last October. Under the updated system, standard accounts for users aged 13 and older will default to a restrictive content setting that automatically filters out mature or inappropriate posts. Furthermore, Meta revealed it will introduce an even stricter "Limited Content" option for Facebook and Messenger later this year, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Alongside the restrictions, Instagram is piloting a feature aimed at diversifying what younger users see. The goal is to prevent teens from falling into algorithmic "rabbit holes" by repeatedly viewing the same topics. "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," Meta stated.

The sweeping safety updates arrive as tech platforms face intense regulatory heat regarding youth mental health. In April, Meta warned investors that mounting legal blowback in the US and the European Union could severely dent its financial bottom line.

The threat is already translating into courtroom losses. In a landmark verdict on March 25, a Los Angeles jury found both Meta and Alphabet's Google negligent for designing addictive platforms, awarding $6 million to a 20-year-old woman who suffered from severe childhood social media addiction.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada