On June 19, 2025, Meta has rolled out a new “teen accounts” feature for Instagram users under 16 in the UAE, automatically enrolling young users into accounts with enhanced privacy and safety protections. This aims to create a safer, age-appropriate online experience for adolescents, giving parents greater peace of mind.
Key features of the new teen accounts include:
- Private by Default: All teen accounts are set to private automatically, restricting visibility and interactions to approved followers only
- Messaging Restrictions: Teens can only receive direct messages from users they already follow, limiting contact from strangers
- Sensitive Content Controls: The strictest filters are applied to limit exposure to sensitive or inappropriate content in areas like Explore and Reels
- Limited Interactions: Only people teens follow can tag or mention them, and anti-bullying features like “hidden words” are enabled by default to filter offensive language
- Time Management Tools: Teens receive reminders to take breaks after 60 minutes of daily use, and a “sleep mode” mutes notifications from 10pm to 7am
- Parental Oversight: Teens under 16 require parental or guardian approval to relax any of the default protective settings. Parents can supervise and manage their child’s account settings directly
The teen accounts were developed with input from parents, psychologists, and safety experts. Meta’s launch in the UAE is part of a broader regional and global push to support digital wellbeing and online safety for younger users, with more than 54 million teens worldwide already enrolled in these accounts.
Meta’s initiative has been welcomed by many UAE parents and experts as a positive step, though some express concerns about teens potentially finding ways to bypass controls. Meta is also using AI technology to verify ages and prevent adults from posing as teens to access these protections
