Meta agrees to new teen rules in landmark social media settlement
Clare Morell, a tech policy expert, discusses the implications of a landmark settlement involving Meta that establishes new rules aimed at combating youth addiction to social media. The settlement enforces a two-hour daily limit on Facebook and Instagram usage for users under 18, prohibits app access from midnight to 6 a.m., and will mute notifications during school hours.
If you’ve ever found yourself asking a teen to put down their phone, only to hear them respond with “Just one more minute,” you probably know how tough it can be to manage screen time. Well, now Meta is making some significant changes that might transform how teens interact with Facebook and Instagram across the U.S.
A judge approved this notable agreement on August 27. As a result, Meta will set a default limit of two hours per day for combined use of Facebook and Instagram for teens. It restricts app access overnight, and gives parents greater oversight of settings that teens might wish to modify.
This isn’t just about sending reminders; it represents a much more impactful change. Here’s a closer look at what’s shifting, how the limits function, and what parents can do right now.
New restrictions for a teen’s day
With the agreement now in effect, changes will be implemented gradually over the upcoming months. Major requirements must be met within six months, while some features are expected to come out sooner. So, what do these changes mean for teens and their parents?
A two-hour limit across Facebook and Instagram
Meta will enforce a two-hour daily cap on the combined usage of its platforms for teens. Time spent on both apps will count against this total. Interestingly, if a teen has multiple accounts, usage across all of them will contribute to the limit.
However, certain activities, like direct messaging and long-form media (anything longer than 22 minutes), will be exempt from this two-hour count. Teens will only be able to disable the limit with parental approval, establishing a firmer boundary compared to just a casual reminder.
Night Mode limits overnight access
Additionally, Night Mode will restrict most app activities from midnight to 6 a.m., during which teens won’t be able to view or post on various features such as Feed and Stories. Direct messaging will still be accessible, allowing continued communication with friends and family. This could solve some late-night scrolling issues without the need for nightly adjustments to settings.
Moreover, push notifications will be disabled by default from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with exceptions for critical alerts regarding account security.
School Mode reduces daytime distractions
School Mode will aim to minimize distractions during school hours. From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., most notifications will be muted. Yet, teens will still be able to send and receive direct messages, along with receiving vital security alerts. The goal here appears to be straightforward: reduce the impulse to check social media during class time.
More screen-time reminders
Teens can expect more frequent reminders as well. After 15 minutes of continuous screen time on either app, they’ll get a prompt, with additional notifications at the one-hour and 90-minute marks. This will help nudge them before they reach that two-hour cap.
Teens gain control over content visibility
The settlement also modifies how teens experience the platforms. They’ll be able to opt for a non-personalized feed, which bypasses the algorithmic recommendations. Parents using supervision can enforce this setting, and teens will also have the option to disable autoplay, requiring a tap or swipe to continue viewing content.
Restrictions on likes and filters
Meta will hide like and reaction counts by default for teen accounts. Also, the use of certain appearance filters, particularly cosmetic surgery filters and extreme makeup ones, will be restricted for teens. This aims to reduce the focus on physical appearance and social validation.
Strengthening age verification
Effective age verification will be crucial for these new regulations. Meta is investing in improved technology to identify potentially underage accounts. This will help ensure the correct protections are applied if an account actually belongs to a teen.
Expanded parental controls
Meta has plans to enhance its parental supervision features. For instance, parents will be informed when a teen attaches a second account. They’ll also receive updates regarding their teen’s usage and attempts to modify protective settings, making it easier to track what changes are occurring.
Background on Meta’s Teen Accounts
Meta initiated the rollout of Teen Accounts in 2024, which introduced automatic protections for younger Instagram users. The company has been enhancing its approach to teen safety across its services since then.
Unlike earlier measures that primarily relied on configurable settings, the new settlement ensures that a two-hour limit comes as a default requirement. In households where “just five more minutes” can turn into hours, this could create a clearer boundary.
Link to TikTok and YouTube’s involvement
Meta’s proposed financial package is estimated at around $18 billion, with approximately 70% going to involved states over a decade. The remaining amount, about $5.3 billion, is contingent upon TikTok and YouTube adopting similar restrictions, including a one-hour daily limit and stricter age verification protocols.
This link is significant as it highlights Meta’s concern that simply limiting usage on its platforms might not be enough if alternative platforms remain unrestricted.
Call for industry standards
Meta has reached out to TikTok and YouTube, urging them to implement the measures included in its settlement. The reasoning here is logical—teens often move fluidly between apps, so consistent protections across platforms are crucial.
Potential increased restrictions
If Snap, TikTok, and YouTube agree to join the settlement, strengthened limits could be triggered. The parameters will be maintained for ten years, although the initial time limits will only last five years, potentially extending if competitors comply.
Enhancing age checks with app stores
Meta argues that age verification shouldn’t fall solely on social media platforms. It believes app stores should also assist by verifying user ages. This could help ensure age-appropriate safeguards are consistently applied.
Independent compliance audits
To support accountability, a third-party auditor will check Meta’s adherence to the settlement’s terms annually for five years. An independent social media research foundation will also be established to examine the impact of these changes on teen well-being.
What parents can do now
1) Activate parental supervision tools
By utilizing Meta’s supervision options, parents can manage safety settings and monitor their child’s activity. Having an open dialogue with teens about these settings is essential.
2) Assess actual screen time
Checking the phone’s screen-time dashboard can reveal unexpected usage patterns. This information can help establish more accurate limits based on real usage.
3) Review privacy settings
Keep an eye on who can follow and message your teen. Meta will maintain strong privacy defaults, but it’s wise to periodically review followers and privacy settings.
4) Examine content safety settings
Meta assures that content settings will remain age-appropriate for teens. Parents should routinely verify that these protections are functioning correctly.
5) Implement device-level controls
Beyond social media, parents can use tools like Apple Screen Time and Google Family Link to manage device-wide limits effectively.
6) Establish a nighttime phone routine
While Meta’s Night Mode provides some restrictions, families might find it useful to develop routines for phone usage at night, such as keeping phones outside bedrooms or enforcing charging areas.
Implications of the new restrictions
While the two-hour limit will likely get the most attention, the real change could be in how many protections come as defaults. For teens, this means more interruptions, less late-night browsing, and fewer distractions during school hours.
Parents will gain greater insight into their teen’s attempts to change settings, and Meta will be subject to periodic independent reviews moving forward. Yet, age verification will be a challenging aspect—if minors can easily pose as adults, these protections may not be effective. The real test lies in how these measures are implemented going forward.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Having followed the evolution of parental controls across social media, a common issue has often been discovering those tools. This agreement aims to offer more safeguards right from the start. A strict two-hour limit—with parental approval needed to disable it—changes the landscape compared to simple reminders. Families facing the struggle of late-night scrolling might find comfort in the new forms of control. Moreover, I see the rationale behind getting TikTok and YouTube on board. If one app has restrictions while others do not, teenagers might easily shift their focus elsewhere. The real evaluation will come as these new changes roll out. I’m particularly interested in how well Meta manages to identify teen accounts and how easy it is for users to bypass these limits. Parents should see these tools as enhancements, complementing, rather than replacing, essential conversations about usage at home.
