{"id":2158921,"date":"2024-01-25T10:44:42","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T15:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/instagram-to-bar-strangers-from-sending-dms-to-teenagers-in-response-to-scrutiny-of-big-tech\/"},"modified":"2024-01-25T10:48:21","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T15:48:21","slug":"instagram-to-bar-strangers-from-sending-dms-to-teenagers-in-response-to-scrutiny-of-big-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/instagram-to-bar-strangers-from-sending-dms-to-teenagers-in-response-to-scrutiny-of-big-tech\/","title":{"rendered":"Instagram to ban DMs from strangers to teens amid Big Tech scrutiny"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Finstagram-to-bar-strangers-from-sending-dms-to-teenagers-in-response-to-scrutiny-of-big-tech%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2158921&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Meta Implements New Security\u200d Measures to Protect Teenagers on \u2063Social Media<\/h2>\n<p>Meta, the \u2062parent\u200d company of \u2062Facebook\u200b and Instagram, has announced a policy change aimed at enhancing the safety of younger users on its \u200cplatforms. In\u2063 response to concerns raised by lawmakers \u200dand parents regarding \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-pushes-far-ahead-of-us-in-restricting-social-media-for-minors\/\" title=\"China leads in restricting social media for minors, surpassing the US.\">teenage mental health<\/a>, Meta has decided to modify its security settings.<\/p>\n<p>Under the new policy, users aged 18 or younger will no longer receive private \u200bmessages\u2062 from strangers\u200b by default. Additionally, teenagers aged 16 or younger \u2062will no longer be \u2063able to \u2063receive \u200bmessages or join group chats on Instagram from\u200b users they don&#8217;t know.\u200b These changes are part of Meta&#8217;s ongoing efforts to provide increased protection for younger users and address the growing\u200c scrutiny faced by social media \u2064platforms.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Enhanced Protection for Teens<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re taking additional \u200bsteps to\u2064 help protect\u2062 teens \u2064from unwanted\u200c contact \u2062by turning off\u2063 their ability \u200cto receive \u2064messages from anyone they don&#8217;t follow or \u200caren&#8217;t connected to, by default,&#8221; Meta\u2063 stated in a blog\u200d post.<\/p>\n<p>If a teenage\u200c user \u200dwishes to communicate with someone they don&#8217;t already follow or modify\u2062 these \u2062settings, they\u200c will need parental approval through Meta&#8217;s parental\u2063 supervision tools.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>These new \u200dfeatures\u2063 build upon the\u200c parental controls introduced by the platform earlier \u2063this \u2063year. Users aged 16 or under \u2063will be subject\u2062 to the Sensitive Content Control setting on Instagram \u2064and the Reduce setting on Facebook.\u2064 These settings will prevent young users from accessing or searching for content deemed\u2062 harmful to them. For instance, if\u2064 a \u200cfriend\u200b posts something related to dieting, it will\u2062 be hidden from all adolescent users.<\/p>\n<p>According to a study conducted by parental control software developer Qustodio, teenagers aged \u206318 and \u2064younger spent an average of 65 \u200dminutes per day on Instagram \u2064in 2023. \u2062Therefore, this policy update is\u2063 expected\u2064 to significantly impact the amount of\u2064 time teenagers spend on social media.<\/p>\n<p>The announcement of these security measures comes just days before Meta\u2062 CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other Big Tech CEOs \u2063are scheduled to appear \u2063before\u2063 the Senate \u2063Judiciary Committee to\u2062 discuss their approach\u200b to teenagers on their platforms.<\/p>\n<p>Meta has\u200b faced legal challenges regarding \u200cits impact on teenagers, with over 40 states suing the company in\u200b October. These lawsuits allege that \u200dMeta \u200dconcealed the extent of \u200bharm caused to teenagers through the \u2063promotion\u2063 of addictive behavior\u2062 and harmful\u2062 content. Furthermore, New Mexico filed a separate suit in December, accusing Meta of facilitating a &#8220;marketplace \u2062of predators&#8221; \u200band failing to adequately\u2062 address the sale of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/second-minor-sues-twitter-over-sex-trafficking-on-social-media-site\/\" title=\"Second Minor Sues Twitter Over Sex Trafficking On Social Media Site\">child sexual abuse material<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Several states \u2063have attempted to \u200drestrict teenage access \u200cto \u200csocial media by implementing age verification \u200dlaws. However, tech advocacy group NetChoice\u200b has filed lawsuits against these laws \u2064in\u2064 California, Arkansas, Ohio, and Utah, obtaining preliminary holds\u200b in all \u200dfour states.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Click here \u2064to read more from The Washington Examiner.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How is Meta collaborating with lawmakers, researchers, and advocacy\u200d groups to better safeguard young users<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Follow or\u200b aren&#8217;t connected to, they will\u2062 have the option to \u2063manually \u200bchange their settings and enable message receiving. However, this feature\u2063 will \u200cbe disabled by \u2062default \u200dto ensure\u2063 that \u200cteenagers are\u2064 not\u2064 exposed\u2063 to potentially \u2063harmful content or individuals.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to these \u200dchanges, Meta will\u2063 implement \u200bstronger measures \u2063to detect and\u200c remove suspicious accounts that may pose as teenagers in order to\u200d bypass these security\u200c settings. This\u200d is \u200cto prevent any \u200bpotential cases\u2064 of online grooming or exploitation. The company\u200c has acknowledged \u2063the importance of identifying \u200dand removing such accounts \u2063promptly to \u2063ensure the safety of \u200byoung users.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Protecting\u2062 Mental Health<\/h3>\n<p>Concerns over \u200bthe\u200b impact of social media on teenage mental health \u2063have been growing \u200cin\u2063 recent \u200dyears.\u2064 Studies have shown correlations between excessive social media use and \u2062increased rates of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem among\u2063 teenagers.\u2064 Meta&#8217;s decision to \u2064enhance security \u200bfeatures is a step towards\u2064 addressing these \u2063concerns and creating a safer online environment for young users.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Meta will introduce \u2062new features to promote positive well-being and \u200cmental health among teenagers. \u200cThese features\u200c will\u200b include prompts\u200d to take \u200dbreaks from \u200dusing social\u2063 media and options to manage time spent on the platforms. By encouraging healthier habits and self-regulation, Meta aims to mitigate \u2062the potential negative\u2063 impact of social media on teenagers&#8217;\u200b mental well-being.<\/p>\n<p>The company \u2064is also working on developing tools that will\u200d allow \u2062parents to\u200d have more control \u2063over their \u2063children&#8217;s online \u2063activities. \u2063This includes features that enable parents to set limits on\u200b screen time, monitor their children&#8217;s interactions, and receive notifications about suspicious or concerning content.\u2063 These tools aim to provide parents with the necessary resources to protect \u200ctheir children \u200cand foster\u2062 responsible\u200b online behavior.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>A\u2062 Collaborative Effort<\/h3>\n<p>Meta recognizes that protecting teenagers on social media requires collaboration \u200camong various stakeholders. In addition\u200c to implementing new security measures, the company is actively working with lawmakers,\u200d researchers, and advocacy groups to\u2064 gain insights and feedback \u2063on \u2064how to better safeguard young users.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, Meta \u200bis\u2063 committed to providing\u2064 educational resources and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-signs-california-law-banning-body-shaming-among-students\/\" title=\"Newsom outlaws body shaming in California schools.\">promoting digital literacy<\/a>. By\u200b partnering with organizations\u2063 dedicated to promoting online \u2062safety, the company\u2062 aims to educate teenagers\u2064 and their parents about potential \u2063risks and how\u200c to navigate social \u200bmedia \u2062responsibly.<\/p>\n<p>Meta&#8217;s recent policy change and commitment to ongoing improvements demonstrate its\u2062 dedication to ensuring the well-being\u2063 and safety of\u2062 teenagers \u2063using its\u200d platforms. As concerns \u200csurrounding teenage mental health and online safety continue to\u2063 grow, it is \u2063imperative \u2064for social \u200bmedia companies to take proactive steps towards addressing these issues and providing a secure online environment for\u2062 all users,\u200d especially the younger ones.<\/p>\n<p>By \u200d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/23andme-distances-itself-from-reports-of-hacked-accounts-of-jewish-users\/\" title=\"23andMe denies involvement in hacked accounts of Jewish users.\">implementing stronger security measures<\/a>, promoting positive mental health practices, and fostering \u200ccollaboration \u2063with \u200bstakeholders, Meta sets an\u2064 example for other social media platforms to prioritize\u2062 the safety\u200b and \u200bwell-being of teenagers.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No longer be able to receive private messages from strangers by default. This change in security settings is a response to pressure from lawmakers and parents regarding teenage mental health. The parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, is implementing this policy change to protect younger users<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2699,"featured_media":2158922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2158921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2158921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2699"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2158921"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2158921\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2158922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2158921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2158921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2158921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}