More restrictive direct messaging settings, new parental supervision tools.
These are some new features from Meta to protect teenagers on Instagram and Facebook.
Regarding the first new feature, the ability to receive direct messages from people they do not follow or are not in contact with, including other teenagers, is deactivated by default on Instagram for those under 18.
They can only receive messages or be added to group chats from people they already follow or are connected to.
Meta explains that it is also making this change to the default settings for teenagers on Facebook Messenger.
Also new for parental supervision launched on Instagram in 2022. Now, parents using this tool will be asked to approve or deny requests from teenagers under 16 to change the default security and privacy settings, to a less restrictive state.
For example, if a teen using supervision tries to change their account from private to public or tries to change their direct message settings, parents will receive a notification to approve or decline the requested changes.
Finally, Meta announces that in the coming months it will launch a new feature to protect teenagers from seeing potentially inappropriate images in their messages by people they know and to discourage them from sending such images.
“We want teens to have safe, age-appropriate experiences on our apps. We've developed more than 30 tools and features to help them and their parents, and we've spent more than a decade developing policies and technology to address content and behavior that breaks our rules,” says Meta in an official post.
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA