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Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, is taking steps to address concerns over the impact of its platforms on younger users. With the introduction of new safeguards and monitoring tools, Meta aims to provide parents with more visibility into their teens’ online activities and promote healthier digital habits. These new features come in response to heightened pressure from lawmakers and concerns raised by leaked internal documents about the potential negative effects of social media on the mental health of young users.
One of the key updates is the addition of parental supervision tools on Messenger, Meta’s instant messaging app. Similar to the existing tools on Instagram, parents and guardians will now have the ability to monitor their teens’ usage of the chat tool. They can track how much time their teens spend on Messenger, view and receive updates on their contacts list, and even receive notifications if their teen reports someone. This new feature aims to provide parents with a better understanding of their teens’ online interactions and help them address any potential concerns.