Overview

• Meta says hundreds of millions of teens are now in Teen Accounts across Instagram, Facebook and Messenger, with Facebook and Messenger expanding globally starting today.
• Teens are automatically placed into stricter settings that limit unsolicited DMs, narrow who can comment or view stories, prompt breaks after an hour, and enable overnight Quiet mode; under‑16s need a parent’s approval to change settings.
• Meta is making the accounts mandatory for younger teens and is using AI to detect users who may be misrepresenting their age.
• Instagram’s School Partnership Program is opening to all U.S. middle and high schools for prioritized content reviews targeted within 48 hours, and Meta-funded safety lessons with Childhelp aim to reach over 550,000 students this year toward a 1 million goal.
• A whistleblower-led review, partially corroborated by Northeastern and reported by Reuters, found most of 47 tested Instagram safety features were flawed or bypassable, findings Meta disputes while citing reductions in sensitive content exposure and unwanted contact.