Meta has rolled out new safety updates designed to better protect teens and children on Instagram and Facebook. The company announced the measures as part of its ongoing commitment to creating age-appropriate online experiences and curbing harmful interactions on its platforms.
The latest updates strengthen protections for accounts primarily managed by adults but featuring children, such as those run by parents of young influencers. These accounts will now default to private settings, apply the strictest message filters to block unwanted contact, and enable “Hidden Words,” a feature that automatically screens out offensive comments. A notification at the top of the Instagram Feed will alert account holders to the changes and prompt them to review their privacy settings.
Meta is also cracking down on harmful accounts across its platforms. Earlier this year, the company removed nearly 135,000 Instagram accounts for leaving sexualized comments or requesting inappropriate images from accounts featuring children under 13. An additional 500,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to those offenders were also taken down.
For teens using Instagram Teen Accounts—a feature launched last year that includes built-in protections and parental supervision tools—new direct message safeguards have been introduced. Now, teens will see added context about the accounts they interact with, including when the account was created, along with safety tips and easy options to block or report suspicious users.
Meta reports that teens are actively using these tools. In June alone, young users blocked accounts 1 million times and reported another 1 million after receiving a safety notice in their DMs.
These updates follow a series of ongoing steps by Meta to enhance child and teen safety online. The company says the goal is to create an environment where families can feel confident that young users are better protected from inappropriate content and unwanted interactions.
For more information on Meta’s latest protections, visit the Meta Newsroom.