Meta Implements New Age Verification and Time Limits for Young Users

Why it matters locally: While Meta's new policies are national, the Illinois State Board of Education may monitor the effects on student well-being and online behavior, potentially influencing future educational guidance regarding social media use.

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Meta has initiated several policy changes targeting younger users on its social media platforms. The company stated it will reinforce its age estimation technologies to identify and restrict individuals under 13 from creating accounts. Additionally, the new policies aim to ensure that teenage users access age-appropriate content. Under the updated guidelines, Meta has imposed a two-hour daily time limit for all users under 18 years old. This restriction applies across its various platforms. The company has also implemented a nighttime lockout period, blocking access for these users from midnight to 6 a.m. Another change involves the visibility of engagement metrics. Meta will now hide "like" counts from younger users' posts. These adjustments represent part of a broader effort by the company to modify its services for adolescent audiences.