• Tools limit access to pre-approved contacts/interactions/screen-time, restrict messaging, control access to sensitive content 

Meta has announced the activation of Teen Accounts for Instagram in Sri Lanka at a recent special event held at the Ministry of Digital Economy.

Issuing a statement in this regard, the ministry said that the Meta team demonstrated that the teen account supervision tools for Instagram provide parents with enhanced oversight of their children’s activity on the platform. Reportedly, the new feature is designed for children aged 13 to 17, empowering parents and guardians to create safer digital environments through a set of intuitive controls. 

Key features include: Access limited to pre-approved contacts, restricted messaging capabilities, parental control over access to sensitive content, interaction-related limitations, and the ability to set daily screen-time limits.

The introduction of supervised teen accounts marks a key step forward in addressing online safety concerns for young users in Sri Lanka, offering parents and guardians the tools that they need to foster a safer and more age-appropriate social media experience.

Meta also announced that the parental supervision capability will soon extend to other platforms such as Facebook and Messenger. 

During the discussion, both the ministry and Meta emphasised the importance of aligning with international standards in internet governance and the forthcoming implementation of Sri Lanka’s data protection framework.