Meta announced today new tools to help teens and their families better manage their safety and the time they spend on its apps.
Among the novelties, there are new functions for limit unwanted interactions on Instagram direct messages and Messenger; the Do Not Disturb mode on Instagram and the possibility of set time limits on Facebook. Added to these are new tools for parents to help them monitor the time their children spend on Instagram.
Let’s see specifically all the news.
The new security tools introduced by Meta
Meta wants to protect people, especially the younger ones, from unwanted interactions in direct messages on Instagram. Currently, the company shows the safety alerts to teenagers when adults with potentially suspicious behavior try to contact them.
Additionally, Meta’s platforms now block people over the age of 19 from sending private messages to teens who don’t follow them. Meta is also testing new tools to further limit how people can interact and message other people who don’t follow them:
- In order to send a message to someone who doesn’t follow you, you will first need to send a request for permission to connect. You will only be able to send one request at a time and you will have to wait for the recipient to accept your invitation to chat before you can send any more.
- Message requests will be limited to text-only content, so people won’t be able to receive photos, videos, or voicemails, or calls, from people they don’t follow until they accept their invitation to chat.
As for time management on the net, now teens will get a notification after spending 20 minutes on Facebook. The notification will prompt them to log out of the app and set daily time limits.
Meta is also evaluating a new Instagram notification system that will prompt teens to close the app if they’re watching Reels at night.