Facebook wants to protect teenagers and their privacy, so that, for example, they cannot be easily connected to suspicious accounts and people.
Meta has received a lot of criticism from authorities and governments for not protecting teenagers on its platforms Facebook and Instagram. Now, Mark Zuckerberg's company has introduced updated features to address the issue.
More filters are coming to the People You May Know feature, limiting the visibility of friends of friends and adding new tools to reduce the unwanted spread of intimate photos.
The suspicious account is not displayed
People You May Know can in many cases be used to get in touch with old friends and acquaintances, but teenagers are not shown "suspicious" accounts - i.e. accounts that have recently been reported by a young person.
The button to send messages to teenagers on Instagram is also disappearing as an option for these suspicious adults, something that is being tested at the time of writing.
When teenagers start chatting with adults, a window appears asking them if they really know that person. A security message then appears, where you get suggestions on how to avoid further contact with this person.
The Collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Teenagers who create new accounts on Facebook, not that it happens that often these days, default to the most restrictive version of privacy settings available. It is about who can see their waiting list, the people and pages they follow, posts they are taken in, and who can comment on their posts. Similar settings are coming to Instagram.
Meta has announced that it is partnering with the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to build a platform for teenagers who are worried that their intimate best photos could end up on social media without their consent notice.
Facebook is working with two networks to support teenagers to de-dramatize such images, seek help and take control.
These features are already rolling out, but it will take some time before they are out to everyone.