New changes on Facebook and Instagram: Top 5 things Meta is rolling out for teenagers under new US settlement

Meta Platforms Inc has agreed to introduce new restrictions on how teenagers can use its platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. The changes are part of a settlement in a major child-safety trial in California, which requires the social media company to pay up to $17 billion to the states that filed suit. Meta has reportedly agreed to pay $1 billion to Texas, which wasn't part of the lawsuit that was brought by 29 US states.

The changes to be brought by Meta, which are subject to court approval, could significantly alter the default social media experience for young users. It intends to make several safety limitations mandatory to ensure maximum protection for young users. Here are five key changes Meta has agreed to introduce:

Safety restrictions by default

Among the top changes in Meta's shift will be the opt-in to a default safety model for teen accounts on both Facebook and Instagram.

Previously, many of Meta's safety tools were available to teenagers on the platforms but had to be actively enabled. Under the settlement, several of these restrictions will automatically apply when a young user creates an account. Reportedly, these restrictions cannot be changed without the permission of a linked supervising parent.

For instance, newly created Instagram accounts for teenagers will not see a personalised feed or likes on their posts by default unless it is changed by a supervising parent.

Parents to hold greater control over teen accounts

Meta will reportedly expand its parental supervision features, bringing designated supervising parents greater visibility into how teenagers are using the apps.

Parents will have access to information like the time their children spend on the platform, their social connections and the accounts that are messaging them.

The new system will also send parents a daily notification when a teen messages an adult account for the first time, along with a link to that adult's account.

Additionally, parents will be notified if a teen searches for keywords related to suicide, self-harm or eating disorders, according to the settlement, reported by The Guardian.

Two-hour daily limit

The settlement requires Meta to introduce default limits on how long a teen can use its apps.

Teen accounts will reportedly be restricted to two hours of app usage a day. Only parents will have the option to modify the default setting.

Meta will also have to introduce features like night mode and school mode, further restricting usage and notifications between midnight and 6 AM, as well as from 8 AM to 3 PM on weekdays. The default time limit can be reduced to one hour a day as well if other platforms introduce a similar change.

No likes and cosmetic filters

The agreement also mentions features that could boost social comparison among youngsters.

For this, like counts will not be displayed on teen accounts by default. Meta will also bar teenagers from using filters that simulate or promote cosmetic procedures of any nature, as per The Guardian report. These changes are aimed at reducing some of the appearance-related and social pressures that are often linked to social media use for the younger generation.

Strict age verification

Meta will also have to take additional steps to ensure teenagers are not bypassing restrictions on apps. To ensure this, the company will be required to use either identification-based verification or facial recognition technology to verify the age of users. These systems are said to undergo testing by an independent third party annually.