Meta is set to impose a new set of restrictions on teenagers' use of Instagram and Facebook, aiming to reduce screen time and strengthen online safety. The measures include daily time limits on the apps, a ban on using them at night, pausing notifications during school hours, and limiting contact with unfamiliar adults. The move comes as part of the settlement of a lawsuit in the United States over addiction to social media.

Meta said the new restrictions will be rolled out gradually over the next six months, while some changes related to age verification could take up to a year to take effect. Under the new rules, teens will be able to use Instagram and Facebook for a maximum of two hours a day. Parents, however, will be able to allow their children additional time through parental controls. The two apps will not be usable between midnight and 6:00 AM, and no notifications will be sent to teens between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Users will also see warning messages if they keep using the apps for long stretches.

Meta is also planning to exert more control over the kind of content teenagers see on social media. Instead of a feed curated by analyzing users' interests and activities, a general feed will be shown. The number of likes on posts will be hidden for teens, and access to several filters will also be limited.

The company is meanwhile making major investments in technology to verify users' ages. It said it will also step up efforts to identify and remove accounts belonging to children under 13.

Source: India Today