1 hour ago
7
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Rona Amparo - The Philippine Star
June 19, 2026 | 12:00am
At yesterday’s “Screen Smart” event in Makati, Meta revealed features that limit the content displayed to teenagers to 13+ rated material.
AFP / Chris Delmas
MANILA, Philippines — Tech giant Meta has launched a revamped version of Teen Account features, providing the Filipino youth with a safe, age-appropriate experience on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger.
At yesterday’s “Screen Smart” event in Makati, Meta revealed features that limit the content displayed to teenagers to 13+ rated material.
A core safety component of this update is a more restrictive version of the “Hidden Words” anti-bullying feature, which automatically filters comments and direct message requests for teen users.
Malina Enlund, head of Meta’s safety policy in Asia-Pacific, said their team worked with various groups to ensure the “Hidden Words” lists are properly localized to account for the country’s diverse languages and dialects.
Features include default private accounts, messaging restrictions, limited interactions, time limit reminders and enabled sleep mode.
Users aged 13 to 17 automatically require parental permission to modify their account settings.
Parents can use the Family Center to supervise their child’s account, gaining insights into their screen time and engagement across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
They can monitor account settings, view blocked contacts and see a list of accounts their child interacts with.
Enlund said they wanted to ensure there is “automatic, by-default protection.”
“When the teen is online, whether they just created the account or they’ve been online for a while, they’re automatically protected. As a parent, you don’t have to do anything. They have this protection from the get-go,” she said.
The Council for the Welfare of Children is working with Meta to improve online child abuse reporting mechanisms.
Meanwhile, the National Youth Commission, in partnership with Meta, will launch “Meta camps” nationwide.
These regional programs will train parents, teachers and students on existing in-app safety tools while featuring a dedicated digital safety module for the youth sector.
Acknowledging the rights of children to participate in the digital world, Stairway Foundation child protection specialist Ysrael Diloy said guardians must offer meaningful and age-appropriate guidance in navigating the digital space.
Meanwhile, Rep. Leila de Lima has filed House Bill 9859, granting students a 20-percent discount on mobile load and internet services. – Delon Porcalla
