As concerns continue to grow over the effects of social media on children’s mental health, Meta has announced a new expansion of its Teen Accounts safety features across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. The changes are designed to limit teens’ exposure to potentially harmful content, particularly material related to dieting, body image, anxiety and other sensitive topics.
The updated protections automatically place teen users into stricter content settings that reduce recommendations of mature content, limit interactions with accounts that frequently post inappropriate material, and diversify recommendations so teens are less likely to see repeated posts centered on potentially unhealthy themes.
While many parents have welcomed the changes, experts emphasize that technology alone cannot solve the complex challenges young people face online.
Joanne Jonna, LPC, founder and therapist at Wildflower Mental Health Therapy in downtown Ann Arbor, believes the announcement represents an encouraging step in the right direction.
“My initial reaction was happiness and relief that we are beginning to protect our children more intentionally,” Jonna said. “As both a parent and a therapist, there are times when helping children navigate social media can feel overwhelming and isolating. Hearing that more attention is being placed on teen safety made me feel less alone and more supported. While I do not think platform changes solve everything, I think this is a positive step.”
Jonna began working in helping professions in 2005, then took time away from clinical work to raise her children, and returned to private practice nearly five years ago. Today, she works with children, teens, and adults at her downtown Ann Arbor practice.
Social media companies share responsibility
The announcement comes amid increasing scrutiny of social media companies over their role in youth mental health. Critics have long argued that platforms should do more to reduce harmful content aimed at young users.
Jonna agrees that responsibility extends beyond parents.
“Yes, I do believe social media platforms have a responsibility to help protect young users because they are putting out the content and creating the environment children are exposed to every day,” she said. “Parents play an important role, but they should not be expected to manage this alone.”
Meta’s newest safeguards are intended to reduce exposure to content that research has linked to unhealthy comparison and emotional distress, particularly when viewed repeatedly over time.
The power of cnstant comparison
For many teenagers, social media has become an everyday part of life. While it can provide entertainment, creativity and social connection, it also presents an endless stream of carefully curated images and videos that can influence how young people view themselves.
“Repeated exposure can slowly shape what teenagers believe they should look like, how they should act, and what they need to do to feel accepted,” Jonna explained. “I often see teens comparing themselves to edited versions of people’s lives and then feeling like they are not enough.”
She says the emotional impact often builds gradually. “Over time, this can affect self-esteem, increase anxiety, contribute to body image concerns, perfectionism, unhealthy eating patterns and make teens feel like their value is based on appearance instead of who they are.”
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Meta’s new recommendation system attempts to address this by reducing the likelihood that teens will repeatedly encounter content centered on topics such as dieting, weight loss, fitness or anxiety, even if the individual posts themselves do not violate company policies.
A growing concern in therapy
Jonna says social media has become an increasingly common factor in the concerns she sees among adolescents. At the same time, she cautions against viewing social media as the sole cause. “Social media is not always the cause, but I do think it can intensify insecurities and make it harder for teens to disconnect from comparison.”
That distinction is important, she said, because it reminds parents that multiple factors influence adolescent mental health while recognizing that online experiences can amplify existing vulnerabilities.
Helpful—but not a complete solution
Although Jonna welcomes Meta’s expanded protections, she does not believe technology alone can solve the problem.
“I think some type of change is better than no change, and I appreciate that this conversation is happening,” she said. “I do think these changes have the potential to make a positive impact, especially for younger users, but there is always more that can be done.”
Instead, she sees platform safety features as one piece of a much larger picture.
“Safety features can help, but they do not replace conversations at home and helping teens build confidence and healthy boundaries.”
Those conversations, she says, remain essential, regardless of how sophisticated online safety tools become.
Signs parents should watch for
Parents often wonder whether social media is negatively affecting their child but may not know the warning signs.
“I would encourage parents to pay attention to changes in their child rather than looking for one major warning sign,” Jonna said.
She suggests watching for “increased anxiety, sadness, irritability, withdrawing from family or friends, becoming more critical of themselves, comparing themselves to others more often, changes in eating or sleeping habits, or becoming overly focused on appearance.”
She also reminds parents that emotional struggles do not always appear as disruptive behavior.
“Sometimes children become quieter instead of acting out.”
Starting better conversations
Many parents worry that asking about social media will make teens feel criticized or monitored. Jonna recommends taking a different approach. “I think parents can start by getting curious instead of jumping into fixing or monitoring,” she said.
Instead of beginning with rules or lectures, she encourages parents to ask open-ended questions.
“Asking questions like, ‘What do you like about social media?’ ‘How do you feel after spending time online?’ or ‘What kinds of things show up on your feed?’ can help create conversation.”
She says these discussions are often more productive when teenagers feel heard rather than judged.
Growing independence
As children mature, parents’ involvement should evolve as well.
“I think parents should stay involved and connected while adjusting expectations as children get older,” Jonna said.
For younger adolescents, that may include more structure and supervision.
“Younger teens may need more structure and support, while older teens may benefit more from conversations and guidance.”
Ultimately, she said she hopes parents can gradually help teenagers develop the skills to manage their own online experiences.
A community effort
Jonna believes protecting young people online requires cooperation from families, schools, healthcare professionals and technology companies.
“I agree that safety features alone are not enough,” she said.
She sees opportunities for every group to contribute. “Schools can help teach media literacy and help students think critically about what they see online. Families can continue having conversations and creating connection at home. Healthcare professionals can continue talking openly about anxiety, self-esteem, body image and social media use. Technology companies can continue improving protections because these platforms do impact young people.”
Connection matters most
For parents wondering where to begin, Jonna’s advice is straightforward.
“My biggest piece of advice would be to stay connected to your child,” she said.
She encourages families to create an environment where children feel safe discussing what they encounter online.
“Try to create a home where they feel comfortable talking to you about things they see or experience online without immediately feeling judged or losing privileges.”
When that foundation exists, she said, children are more likely to seek help when they need it. “The stronger the relationship, the more likely they are to come to you when they need support.”
As social media continues to evolve, Meta’s new safety features may help reduce some of the risks facing young users. But as parents and mental health professionals realize, no technology can replace trust, communication and strong family relationships. Those remain the most powerful tools for helping children navigate the digital world with confidence and resilience.
In related news, the UK government announced a sweeping ban that will block access to major social media platforms for those under 16, including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The regulations are expected to pass by the end of 2026, with the ban officially coming into force in spring 2027.
