Meta has come under constant fire from regulators and governments for failing to protect teens on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, and now the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company has rolled out updates to fix this.
The company is now adding more filters to the People You May Know feature, limiting the visibility of the friends list and introducing new tools to spread unwanted dissemination of intimate images.
People You May Know might be a feature for reconnecting with long lost friends, but teens won’t be shown a “suspicious” account, meaning one that was recently reported by a teen. The button to message teenagers on Instagram will also disappear as an option for these suspicious adults, as tests are currently underway.
When teens start texting adults, they will be asked if they know the person in real life. Then a security warning appears, listing options that can be performed to prevent further contact with this person.
Security features on Messenger and Instagram Direct
New teens who sign up for Facebook, few though they are these days, will have the narrowest options pre-selected on some privacy settings, like who can see their friends list, the people and pages they follow, the posts they tagged and who is authorized to comment on posts. Similar settings are also coming to Instagram.
Privacy settings on Facebook
Meta said it is now partnering with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to build a platform for teens who fear their intimate pictures could end up on social media without their consent. Facebook is working with two networks to empower teens to destigmatize such images, seek help, and take control.
The features are already being rolled out, but it will take time to fully reach all teenagers.
Start a new Thread