Meta rolls out new parental supervision tools for Facebook, Instagram and Messenger

Meta has revealed new parental control features to make it easier for them to manage the time their teenage children spend on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
This announcement builds on the work created with Family Centre which provides resources and tools for parents to supervise their teen’s time on the social media platforms.

These tools now include the ability to view the length of time their teen spends on Instagram and Facebook.

A notification will appear after they’ve spent 20 minutes on Facebook and Instagram with a suggestion to take a break from the app and set a daily time limit.

Instagram now has additional parental supervision features including a notification if a teen has blocked someone on the platform.

The teen will also receive a reminder to seek parental guidance if needed.

A new feature being explored on Instagram will detect teens who are scrolling Reels at night with a recommendation to close the app.

Quiet Mode on Instagram will now launch globally after being introduced in Australia and New Zealand in January.

This feature has been a great success and allows users to set a period when they won’t receive any notifications with the profile’s activity status showing they are in Quiet Mode.

If they receive a direct message in Quiet Mode, a designated auto reply will be sent.
There is also a range of new tools to limit unwanted interactions on Instagram direct messaging and Messenger.

There are already Safety Notices in place to prevent suspicious adults messaging teens and a restriction for users over 19 sending private messages to teenagers who don’t follow them.

There are some new features being tested including seeking permission from someone you don’t follow to send a message.

These will be limited to text only to prevent users sending photos, videos, voice messages or calling them.

Messengers supervision tools will allow parents to see how their child is using messenger including how much time is spent using the app and if anyone has been added to their contact list.

But these tools do not allow parents to read their teen’s messages.

“We strive to ensure that our community feels safe and in-control when using our services, and already we have seen great interest in the Family Centre locally after launching it last year,” says Head of Public Policy, Australia at Meta, Josh Machin.

“These new features reflect our ongoing work to build things that are meaningful for young people across Australia, while still providing them with a rich experience across our platforms.”