Meta launches new youth safety tools

Meta launched recently its revamped safety features for minors across its social media platforms, alongside a digital literacy initiative aimed at promoting safer online practices among Filipino youth and families.

The launch, held at Fairmont Makati, introduced upgraded protections under Instagram Teen Accounts, which are designed to limit the type of content minors aged 13 and above can access and interact with online.

Meta Asia Pacific head of safety policy Malina Enlund said the initiative is part of the company’s response to growing calls for stronger safeguards for young users.

“The initiative responds to growing demand among families, educators, and policymakers for practical approaches to protecting young people online,” Enlund said.

She emphasized that the updated features build on existing default protections for Teen Accounts, which are automatically activated for users aged 13 to 17. For users under 16, parents are given control over whether settings can be relaxed.

“These revamped settings build on the protections already in Teen Accounts, which are turned on by default automatically for users aged 13-17, and parents decide if teens under 16 can change any settings to be less strict,” she said.

Under the enhanced system, teens must approve new followers before their content becomes visible to them. Messaging is also restricted to people they follow or are connected with, while tagging and mentions are limited to approved contacts.

Meta also introduced parental control tools allowing guardians to set daily app usage limits. A new “sleep mode” feature will mute notifications overnight and automatically send replies to incoming messages during restricted hours.

“Meta is taking a proactive approach to teen safety by embedding protections directly into our platforms by default. We are giving Filipino parents greater peace of mind that their teens are interacting with age-appropriate content from the moment they log on,” Enlund added.

The event was attended by officials and stakeholders from government and civil society, including Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda, Council for the Welfare of Children Undersecretary Angelo Tapales, Stairway Foundation child protection specialist Ysrael Diloy, and National Youth Commission Chair Jeff Ortega.

Alongside the platform updates, Meta also launched its “Screen Smart” digital literacy program, which seeks to bring together policymakers, educators, and private sector partners in strengthening youth online safety.

The initiative is intended to complement the government’s Digital Bayanihan Safety Summit led by the DICT, reinforcing efforts to promote res