Meta is extending its Teen Accounts feature to Facebook and Messenger users around the globe, after initially limiting access to teens in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada. The safety-focused accounts, which debuted on Instagram last fall, come with built-in protections and parental controls.

The rollout follows increased scrutiny from lawmakers who accused major social platforms of failing to adequately safeguard younger users.

Stronger Protections by Default

With the global expansion, teens will automatically be placed in a more protective environment that restricts exposure to harmful content and limits unwanted contact. Key features include:

Parental approval: Teens under 16 need a parent’s permission to adjust account settings.
Messaging limits: Teens can only receive messages from people they follow or have previously chatted with.
Privacy controls: Stories can only be viewed and replied to by friends, while tags, mentions, and comments are restricted to friends or followed accounts.
Well-being reminders: Teens will be prompted to take breaks after an hour of daily use and automatically enter “Quiet Mode” overnight.

Ongoing Concerns About Online Safety

Despite these measures, a whistleblower-led study recently suggested that teens on Instagram can still encounter posts promoting self-harm or sexual content, even under Teen Account protections. Meta rejected the findings, insisting its tools have reduced harmful content exposure for young users.

New School Partnership Program

Alongside Teen Accounts, Meta is also officially launching its School Partnership Program on Instagram. The initiative gives educators a direct channel to report issues like bullying for faster review and removal. After a positive pilot earlier this year, the program is now open to all middle and high schools in the U.S. Participating schools will also display a banner on their Instagram profile, signaling their partnership to students and parents.

Addressing Mental Health Pressures

Meta’s latest moves come amid growing concerns about social media’s impact on youth mental health. The U.S. surgeon general and several states have called for stronger protections, with some introducing restrictions on teen access to social platforms without parental consent.

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