June 2 (Reuters) – Meta is expanding its content settings for teen accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger globally to ensure age-appropriate experiences for younger users, it said on Tuesday, as social media platforms face growing scrutiny about child health and safety.
The initiative, initially launched in select countries last October, sought to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content. Meta also announced a new feature on Instagram designed to diversify content seen by teens and prevent repetitive exposure to certain themes.
• In April, Meta warned investors that legal and regulatory blowback in the European Union and the U.S. over youth social media issues “could significantly impact our business and financial results.”
• In a landmark trial, a Los Angeles jury on March 25 found Meta and Alphabet’s Google negligent for designing social media platforms that are harmful to young people, awarding a combined $6 million to a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to social media as a child.
• Meta said 13+ content settings, which filter out content deemed inappropriate for teens, is the default for teen accounts.
• A “Limited Content” setting, offering an even more restrictive experience, will also be made available on Facebook and Messenger later this year, Meta said.
• Instagram is testing a new feature to limit teens from seeing excessive amounts of certain content types and to promote a more balanced feed.
• “We recognize that some content — like posts about nutrition, weightlifting, or how to cope with anxiety — can be helpful, but it should be balanced with other types of content rather than shown repeatedly,” Meta said.
(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru)
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