The situation, in brief
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, has launched revamped safety features for teen accounts aged 13 to 17, aimed at providing a safer online experience for young users. The updated features were introduced during the “Screen Smart” event in Makati, where Meta…
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, has launched revamped safety features for teen accounts aged 13 to 17, aimed at providing a safer online experience for young users.
The updated features were introduced during the “Screen Smart” event in Makati, where Meta Asia Pacific Head of Safety Policy Malina Enlund said the changes are designed to limit the type of content teens can access online.
Under the revised Teen Accounts, several safety settings are enabled by default. Accounts are set to private, requiring teens to approve new followers before their content becomes visible. Messaging is restricted to people they follow, while tagging and mentions are also limited to their network.
The platform also automatically filters offensive words—including those in Filipino—through the “Hidden Words” feature, covering both comments and message requests. Teens are prompted to take a break after 60 minutes of app use, while notifications are muted from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with automatic replies sent to direct messages during these hours.
Meta said a core component of the revamped Teen Accounts is the stricter version of its “Hidden Words” anti-bullying tool.
Enlund added that Meta worked with various groups in the Philippines to account for the country’s diverse languages and dialects. She said the updates were inspired by film rating systems for audiences aged 13 and above, as well as feedback from parents.
With these safeguards in place, Filipino teens will be shown content aligned with age-appropriate standards similar to those in films.
Parents can also use the Family Center to supervise their child’s account, including monitoring screen time, reviewing engagement across Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, viewing blocked contacts, and checking the accounts their child interacts with.
“When the teen is online, whether they just created the account or they’ve been online for a while, they’re automatically protected. As a parent, you don’t have to do anything—they have this protection from the get-go,” Enlund said.
“Meta is taking a proactive approach to teen safety by embedding protections directly into our platforms by default. We are giving Filipino parents greater peace of mind that their teens are interacting with age-appropriate content from the moment they log on,” she added.
Government officials and private sector representatives attended the event, with support from the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
Among those present were DICT Secretary Henry Aguda, Council for the Welfare of Children Undersecretary Angelo Tapales, Stairway Foundation child protection specialist Ysrael Diloy, and National Youth Commission Chair Jeff Ortega.
