Meta Introduces Parental Supervision Tools for Threads to Expand Teen Safety Controls

Meta is expanding its teen safety efforts by introducing parental supervision tools for Threads, giving parents and guardians new ways to oversee how younger users interact with the social media platform. The company announced Tuesday that the features will begin rolling out in the United States next week before expanding to additional markets later this year.

The new controls are integrated into Meta’s Family Centre, the company’s existing hub for parental supervision across its apps. Through the service, parents will be able to monitor their teen’s activity on Threads and manage several account settings designed to promote safer use of the platform.

Threads parental supervision tools expand Family Centre

Under the update, parents and guardians can review how much time their teen has spent on Threads each day during the previous week, along with the average daily usage. They can also set daily screen time limits and schedule periods when access to the platform is unavailable on selected days or during specific hours.

Meta said these limits apply across multiple devices, meaning a teen’s total time on Threads is counted whether they access the app from a smartphone, laptop or another supported device.

New controls include privacy and nighttime protections

Families will also be able to restrict or block Threads access overnight. Teens already have notifications muted and automatic replies enabled by default between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and parents can now reinforce those protections through the new supervision tools.

In addition, parents can manage who is allowed to tag their teen in posts. For users under the age of 16, parents will also be able to determine whether built-in safety and privacy settings can be changed to less restrictive options.

Rollout follows broader focus on teen safety

The introduction of parental supervision on Threads comes as Meta continues expanding safety features across its platforms amid increased scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers over the protection of young users online. The company has spent several years adding tools intended to address concerns related to screen time, harmful content and teen wellbeing.

Threads, which Meta says has 500 million monthly users, launched in July 2023. While teens already receive default protections such as private accounts and content restrictions, the new parental supervision features add another layer of oversight for families using the platform.

Meta said the parental supervision tools will launch in the United States next week, with global availability planned before the end of the year.