Meta Shares Surge 3.93% on Teen Safety Initiatives

In recent market activity, Meta (META) experienced a 3.93% increase on September 19, marking a four-day upward trend. This spike comes as part of a significant shift towards enhancing user safety and privacy, particularly for teenagers on its social media platforms.

Meta has introduced a "Teen Account" feature for Instagram, aimed at improving safety measures for users aged 18 and below. The feature imposes strict privacy settings, limits access to sensitive content, and restricts communication with adults unless they follow each other. Additionally, a "sleep mode" deactivates notifications from 10 PM to 7 AM.

This new account model requires parental involvement, allowing guardians to monitor who their teenagers are messaging and the topics they engage with, though without reading the messages themselves. This initiative represents Meta's most substantial effort to bolster teen safety on their platform to date.

To enforce these restrictions, Meta employs preventative measures such as age verification via ID or video selfies. A pioneering "age prediction tool" is set to debut in early 2025, designed to identify user age through behavioral analysis.

Incorporating advanced technology, this tool examines patterns like account creation date and user interaction, aiming to prevent minors from bypassing age-related restrictions. This reflects a strategic pivot as Meta continues its commitment to safety and accountability on digital platforms.