Recently, the editor of Downcodes learned that Meta is actively taking measures to ensure the safety of teenage users on the Instagram platform. In the face of growing public concern and concern about the impact of social media on youth mental health, Meta has launched a number of initiatives aimed at creating a safer and healthier online environment.
The move comes amid widespread public concern about the impact of social media platforms on young people's mental health, with Meta introducing teen accounts back in September this year. Teen accounts are designed for users ages 13 to 17 and have a number of built-in restrictions, including limiting who can contact them and what they can see. At the same time, the account automatically blocks potentially offensive comments and message requests.
However, secure teen accounts are only valid if the user uses them voluntarily or honestly fills out their age information. So Meta has developed a proprietary software tool called the Adult Classifier, which will be available next year. The tool is designed to classify users as over or under 18, analyzing their profiles, interactions and watchlists to determine their age. Even a generic "Happy Birthday" message can help determine a user's true age.
Meta noted in a 2019 study that social media apps, especially Instagram, have a negative impact on the mental health of teenagers. A 2021 Wall Street Journal report revealed that Meta was aware that Instagram was having a detrimental impact on the mental health of teenagers, especially teenage girls, with studies even showing that the platform exacerbated body image issues for one-third of girls.
At present, youth accounts are still in the voluntary stage, so a large number of teenagers are still using ordinary adult accounts. Meta plans to soon start moving teen users who have provided age information to new accounts, and to roll out an "adult classifier" feature next year. This series of measures is Meta's latest response to public opinion and youth mental health issues, aiming to create a safer social environment for young users.
By launching teen accounts and "adult classifiers," Meta has shown that it takes the safety and mental health of teen users seriously. In the future, we will continue to pay attention to Meta's progress in this field and look forward to its contribution to building a healthier and safer social media environment.