Meta is introducing new restrictions for teen users of Facebook and Instagram in the United States. The measures limit screen time, make certain safety settings harder to bypass, and reduce access to some app features during late-night and school hours.
For now, the rollout applies only to U.S. users. Meta says it will monitor the changes and continue discussions with governments in other countries.
Daily Time Limits Across Facebook and Instagram
A central part of the new rules is a default limit of two hours per day across Facebook and Instagram for teen accounts. Parents must approve any attempt to override that limit.
The time allowance is cumulative across both services. If Meta identifies more than one account as belonging to the same person, usage across those accounts can still count toward the daily limit.
Meta is also adding recurring reminders for teens during continued use. Prompts will appear every 15 minutes of continuous use, as well as when daily use reaches 60 minutes and 90 minutes.
Overnight Limits With Default Nite Mode
Meta will introduce a default Nite Mode for teen users. From midnight until 6 a.m., teens will be blocked from using major parts of Facebook and Instagram.
During those hours, teen users will not be able to post or browse areas including:
- Feed
- Stories
- Explore
- Reels
The restrictions are designed to limit access to key features overnight rather than simply reducing notifications.
School-Hour Notification Restrictions
The new protections also include default notification limits during school hours. Notifications will be silenced from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Teens can still receive direct messages during that period. Notifications involving account security or safety will also continue to come through.
Safety Settings and Feed Controls for Teens
Meta is making it more difficult for teen users to work around safety protections. The company will also give teens several default options intended to change how they use Facebook and Instagram.
These options include the ability to:
- Choose a non-personalized feed
- Disable autoplay
- Hide like and reaction counts
Meta also says it will strengthen its age-verification tools. The company plans to use those tools to identify people under 13 and teens who provide a false age to appear as adults.
Why the Restrictions Are Limited to the United States
The U.S.-only launch follows a series of settlements involving allegations that social media companies endanger children. Meta faces as much as $18 billion in related expenses.
The company’s settlement includes a payment of about $18 billion, with a large share set to go to participating states over 10 years. Meta says elements of the restrictions could become stricter and expand if other major platforms adopt similar protections.
Other Countries Are Watching Meta’s Teen Rules
Regulators outside the United States are already considering tougher rules for children and teens on social media. Officials in more than 20 countries have proposed or are considering restrictions on services such as TikTok and Snapchat for younger users.
Britain is among the countries watching the U.S. rollout. UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden raised the question of whether children in Britain could end up with weaker protections than those available in the United States.
The broader response will depend on how the U.S. rules work in practice and whether regulators elsewhere decide to pursue stronger requirements for social media platforms.
What the Changes Mean for Teen Facebook and Instagram Use
For teen users, the immediate changes mean less unrestricted scrolling, fewer late-night notifications, and more parental involvement in daily time-limit overrides.
The longer-term question is whether the limits and safety controls will meaningfully change how young people use Facebook and Instagram, and whether similar measures will be adopted beyond the United States.