Meta is rolling out sweeping new rules for teen users across Instagram and Facebook following the settlement of an EUR 15 billion lawsuit announced on Wednesday. The company says the changes are designed to meet the terms of the settled case while curbing teen social media addiction.
The updates apply only to users under 18. Most were required under the settlement, including daily usage limits, night mode controls, and age-assurance measures meant to prevent minors from bypassing the system. As part of the agreement, Meta has denied any wrongdoing. A Meta representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The move comes amid broader global pushback against minors using social platforms. The EU has restricted access to social apps for children under 13, and Australia has banned apps like Instagram for anyone under 16. Some advocates argue Meta’s steps do not go far enough. Amba Kak, an attorney and co-director of the AI Now research institute, told Democracy Now on Thursday that the changes fail to address the platform’s underlying design, which relies on features like infinite scroll to hold teenagers’ attention. “It’s the business model of surveillance advertising, where it is the optimization of engagement and attention at any cost,” Kak said, warning that without root-cause fixes, the effort risks “playing whack-a-mole.”
New Time Limits for Teen Accounts
The centerpiece of the update is a set of time limits for teen accounts. A new default cap will set daily scrolling to two hours for users under 18, and only a parent can extend it.
A night mode will block most content, including feeds, stories, explore mode, and reels, between midnight and 6 a.m. A separate school mode will mute notifications between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Teens will also receive a 15-minute warning after extended use, along with 60-minute and 90-minute alerts as their daily allotment runs down. To further reduce continuous scrolling, autoplay for videos and clips will be turned off by default. Like most of the new settings, these can be adjusted by parents.
Limits on Toxic and Personalized Content
Meta is also introducing measures aimed at reducing toxicity. By default, teens will not see likes and reactions on posts, including their own. They will also be restricted from viewing certain content, such as cosmetic surgery and “extreme makeup” filters, though the company has not clarified how broadly those limits will apply.
The company is adding age-appropriate content restrictions as well, but details remain limited. Meta says it will use movie ratings and parent feedback to build filters, without explaining how that framework maps to social media posts or offering examples of blocked content.
Teens will additionally have the option to switch to a non-algorithmic version of their feeds, one that is not personalized by Meta’s recommendations. The changes apply across both Instagram and Facebook for all users under 18.
