Meta Expands Instagram Teen, Child Protections Worldwide

Meta has introduced a comprehensive set of new safety features on Instagram aimed at protecting teenagers and accounts that prominently feature children from abuse and exploitation. These measures include enhanced direct messaging tools for teen accounts, such as displaying the age of accounts contacting them, providing instant safety tips, and a combined block and report option to streamline the reporting of suspicious behavior. Additionally, a "Location Notice" warns users if they are communicating with someone in a different country, a tactic commonly used in sextortion scams. For accounts managed by adults that frequently post child-focused content, Meta is implementing default settings to limit how such content is viewed and shared, addressing concerns around exploitation, especially for family vloggers and child influencers. The platform also enforces nudity protection by default on teen accounts, with 99% of users opting to keep this filter active, resulting in a significant reduction in exposure to graphic content. Since early 2025, Meta has taken action by deleting nearly 135,000 accounts for sexual comments on child content and reducing the visibility of suspicious accounts on kid-focused pages through algorithmic changes, all part of their broader commitment to creating a safer environment for young users.