Safer Internet Day (February 10, 2026) is a good time to remember: Keeping your teen safe online doesn't require reading every message or battling over screen time.
Between group chats, online trends, and unfamiliar apps, their world moves fast -- but staying involved doesn't have to be stressful.
Here's how to find the balance:
1. Stay curious about their world.
Teens often use social media to explore hobbies, learn new things, and connect with communities that matter to them.
Even if you don’t recognise the creators they follow or the jokes they share, asking your teen to show you what excites them online can open conversations about their online experiences.
2. Make it a conversation, not a crackdown.
Building trust is just as important as any safety feature. Open conversations can help you set expectations together.
Try discussing with your teen, what’s their favourite thing about being online, what they should do if they receive a message from someone they don't know and what is a reasonable time to put the phone away?
Talking openly about these topics can make a big difference.
3. Safety is already built in.
When your teen uses Instagram, Facebook, or Messenger, they will automatically be placed into Teen Accounts, which comes with safeguards and essential safety features automatically built in by default.
This means strangers can't message them, only friends can tag them and age inappropriate content is automatically filtered.
Even suspicious images in DMs are blurred automatically.
While these features apply to all teens under 18, those under 16 will need a supervising parent’s permission to change any of these settings to be less strict.
4. Screen time has guardrails.
Every parent can relate to the night time screen time conversation.
Meta’s built-in tools are here to help: Teens will get a prompt to take a break after 60 minutes of daily use, Sleep Mode kicks in between 10pm and 7am, muting notifications and sending auto-replies.
Want to set firmer boundaries? Parental supervision lets you set daily limits or block access during homework, family meals, or after lights out.
5. Keep the conversation going.
Online safety is always evolving and so should your conversations with teens.
The safety talk you have at 13 won't cover what they need at 16. Their world evolves, and your conversations should too.
If you want support, the Family Center Education Hub offers resources from various experts.
You’ve got this! Your teen's social media experience now comes with built-in protections -- around who can contact them, what they see, and how they spend their time.
For teens under 16, these settings can't be changed without your permission. And when you want more control, parental supervision is there.
But the most powerful tool is still you. Keep talking. Stay curious. Be the person your teen turns to when something
doesn't feel right. - KitaReporters/Press Release
https://familycenter.meta.com/
