On June 18, 2026, Meta announced a suite of new safety features tailored specifically for users aged 13 to 17 across its platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. These enhancements, designed to foster a safer online environment for teenagers, come with a set of default settings that prioritize user privacy and content appropriateness.
Revamped Teen Accounts
The newly introduced Teen Accounts come with several protective measures:
- Accounts are automatically set to private, requiring approval for new followers, while non-followers are unable to view or interact with their content.
- Teens can only receive messages from individuals they follow or are already connected with.
- Only those they follow can tag or mention them, and offensive language—including terms in Filipino—is filtered out from comments and direct message requests through the Hidden Words feature.
- After 60 minutes of usage, teens receive notifications encouraging them to take a break from the app.
- Notifications are muted between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with automatic replies sent to direct messages during these hours.
Malina Enlund, Meta’s head of safety policy for the Asia Pacific region, explained that these features were inspired by movie ratings for audiences aged 13 and above, alongside feedback from parents. This means that teens in the Philippines will primarily encounter content akin to that found in age-appropriate films.
During a presentation held in Makati City, Enlund highlighted that parents are particularly concerned about their teens’ interactions, the nature of the content they consume, and the duration of their screen time. For users aged 13 to 15, accounts are private by default, and their content exposure is limited to materials deemed suitable for their age group. Any alterations to these settings require parental consent.
For older teens, aged 16 to 17, there is some flexibility to modify their account settings, although parents will receive notifications of any changes. This is facilitated through Meta’s Family Center, which allows parents to manage their children’s account settings and monitor their activities across Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram once linked. Parents can access information about their teens’ interactions, reports submitted, blocked accounts, as well as insights into their screen time and content consumption.
Addressing a common concern, Enlund noted the potential issue of teenagers misrepresenting their ages. If a teen alters their age on an existing account, they may be required to verify it through facial age estimation or by submitting identification documents. Should Meta determine that a teen has provided false information regarding their age, the company may suspend or permanently disable the account. Enlund emphasized the importance of honesty, stating, “We do encourage teens not to lie about their age because our classifiers are getting better and better.”
At the same event, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) advocated for creating a safe online environment for children rather than completely restricting their access to social media. CWC Executive Director Angelo Tapales referenced the 2021 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which asserts that children have the right to meaningful access to digital technology while also being protected. Enlund echoed this sentiment, cautioning that a total ban on social media could drive teenagers toward unsupervised and potentially hazardous online spaces. She called for enhanced support for the safety measures implemented by social media platforms for young users.
Meta rolls out enhanced safety features for teen Instagram users
On June 18, 2026, Meta announced a suite of new safety features tailored specifically for users aged 13 to 17 across its platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. These enhancements, designed to foster a safer online environment for teenagers, come with a set of default settings that prioritize user privacy and content appropriateness.
Revamped Teen Accounts
The newly introduced Teen Accounts come with several protective measures:
Malina Enlund, Meta’s head of safety policy for the Asia Pacific region, explained that these features were inspired by movie ratings for audiences aged 13 and above, alongside feedback from parents. This means that teens in the Philippines will primarily encounter content akin to that found in age-appropriate films.
During a presentation held in Makati City, Enlund highlighted that parents are particularly concerned about their teens’ interactions, the nature of the content they consume, and the duration of their screen time. For users aged 13 to 15, accounts are private by default, and their content exposure is limited to materials deemed suitable for their age group. Any alterations to these settings require parental consent.
For older teens, aged 16 to 17, there is some flexibility to modify their account settings, although parents will receive notifications of any changes. This is facilitated through Meta’s Family Center, which allows parents to manage their children’s account settings and monitor their activities across Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram once linked. Parents can access information about their teens’ interactions, reports submitted, blocked accounts, as well as insights into their screen time and content consumption.
Addressing a common concern, Enlund noted the potential issue of teenagers misrepresenting their ages. If a teen alters their age on an existing account, they may be required to verify it through facial age estimation or by submitting identification documents. Should Meta determine that a teen has provided false information regarding their age, the company may suspend or permanently disable the account. Enlund emphasized the importance of honesty, stating, “We do encourage teens not to lie about their age because our classifiers are getting better and better.”
At the same event, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) advocated for creating a safe online environment for children rather than completely restricting their access to social media. CWC Executive Director Angelo Tapales referenced the 2021 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which asserts that children have the right to meaningful access to digital technology while also being protected. Enlund echoed this sentiment, cautioning that a total ban on social media could drive teenagers toward unsupervised and potentially hazardous online spaces. She called for enhanced support for the safety measures implemented by social media platforms for young users.