Jan 26, 2024 12:09:00

Instagram and Facebook will disable sending DMs to users under 16 by default, effective from January 26, 2024

On January 26, 2024, Meta announced that direct messages (DMs) to users under 16 will be restricted by default on Instagram and Facebook to protect teenagers from unwanted messages. announced.

Introducing Stricter Message Settings for Teens on Instagram and Facebook | Meta

https://about.fb.com/news/2024/01/introducing-stricter-message-settings-for-teens-on-instagram-and-facebook/

Meta is rolling out tighter teen messaging limitations and parental controls | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/25/meta-is-rolling-out-tighter-teen-messaging-limitations-and-parental-controls/

Instagram stops letting random accounts send messages to teenagers | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/01/instagram-stops-letting-random-adults-send-messages-to-teenagers/

In order to protect teenage users, Instagram has previously restricted the ability of adult users over the age of 19 to send messages to teenage users who do not follow them, and the ability to send DMs to teenagers who do not follow them. Efforts have been made to limit content to text only.

To further protect teenage users, Meta will now turn off receiving DMs from users they don't follow or connect with, including other teenagers, by default on Instagram. announced that it would take action. Additionally, the messaging app Messenger will now have a default setting that allows users under 16 to only receive messages from their Facebook friends and users registered in their contact list.

These restrictions apply to all users under 16, and existing users will see a notification at the top of their feed about changes to their message settings. In some countries, this restriction applies to all users under the age of 18.

Meta also allows teenage users to change their accounts from private to public, change

sensitive content controls from the default 'restrict' to 'allow,' and restrict who can send DMs. We've added a feature that allows parents to block changes to settings. Previously, even if a child changed settings, parents were only notified of the change and could not block the change, but with the addition of this function, parental control functions will be further strengthened. became.

'Similar to previous parental monitoring tools we've added, this new feature will help parents and teens navigate their lives together online and Our goal is to foster conversation in the world.”

In addition, Meta will add new features in late 2024 that will prevent connected users from sending inappropriate images to teenagers, and vice versa. We are reporting that we are planning to.