NEW YORK (Kashmir English): Meta is making a major change to Facebook and Messenger as it will convert underage accounts into teen accounts.
The aim is to provide online protection to underage users, and millions of such accounts will automatically become private.
This move comes at a time when, according to the company, millions of underage users are using Facebook and Messenger accounts.
Teen accounts were first introduced by Meta for Instagram in September 2024.
It was later introduced to Facebook and Messenger users in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. Teen accounts are now being introduced worldwide.
The company will move accounts of users aged 13 to 15 to this category. Artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to identify such underage users.
Teen accounts will allow parents to monitor how their children use Meta’s apps. Access to various types of content will also be restricted for these users.
It should be noted that these measures are being taken by the company at a time when it is being criticized by various countries for taking insufficient measures to protect underage users.
Earlier in 2021, Meta had blocked people aged 19 or older on Instagram from sending direct messages to underage users who did not follow them.
In 2023, Meta introduced a tool to prevent Instagram users under 18 from staying up late using the app.
Similarly, Meta has made it harder for users under 18 to access sensitive content like suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders through features like Search and Explore under new policies on Facebook and Instagram.
In January 2024, a new messaging restriction was implemented to protect underage users.
At the time, the company said that by default, underage accounts would no longer be able to be messaged or added to group chats by strangers.
