Meta agreed to set more time limits and enhance protections in its platforms for young users, but was short on some specifics.
Meta said on Wednesday that it would change how teenagers use Instagram and Facebook as part of a landmark settlement with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories over social media addiction claims.
Instagram and Facebook currently allow anyone 13 or older to open accounts. Users under 18 are automatically directed into Teen Accounts, which are set to private by default and limit certain types of harmful content.
The settlement is expected to alter the apps further. Meta said new features will be introduced in the next six months, while other changes, like how the company verifies user ages, could take up to a year. In the last year, Meta had already started to introduce some changes mentioned in the settlement.
Here’s a guide to what to expect.
Time Limits
Teenagers will be limited to just two hours a day on Instagram and Facebook, unless a parent goes into their settings to give permission for more time. Young users will also be automatically restricted from using the apps overnight, between midnight and 6 a.m.
In addition, Instagram and Facebook notifications will be silenced during school hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Turning Features Off
For the first time, young users will be able to turn off “autoplay,” a feature that automatically plays content while a user watches. They can instead elect to tap or swipe to see the next photo or video on the app. Until now, users were not able to turn that feature off.
