Threads now lets parents check what their kids are doing
What's the story
Meta has announced the launch of parental supervision tools for its social media platform, Threads. The features will be available through the Family Center, Meta's hub for parental controls across its apps. The move comes amid increasing pressure from regulators and lawmakers to ensure better online protection for young users.
User control
Parents can set daily limits and adjust sleep mode settings
The new parental supervision tools will allow parents and guardians to monitor their teen's time on Threads.
They can set daily limits, adjust sleep mode settings, and manage privacy preferences from the Family Center.
The update comes as part of Meta's ongoing efforts to expand parental controls across its apps amid concerns over excessive screen time, harmful content, and teen safety.
Feature rollout
Parents can see how much time their teen has spent
The introduction of parental supervision tools on Threads comes three years after the platform's launch in July 2023.
Parents and guardians can now see how much time their teen has spent on the platform over the past week, including their average daily usage.
They can also set a daily time limit and restrict access during specific days/hours to manage screen time effectively.
User restrictions
Parents can control who can tag their teen in posts
The new tools also let parents restrict or block their teen's access to Threads at night.
Notifications are muted and auto-replies are turned on by default for all teens from 10:00pm to 7:00am.
Parents can also control who can tag their children in posts on the platform, giving them more control over their child's online interactions.
Expansion plans
What about availability?
Meta has confirmed that the parental supervision controls will be available in the US next week. The company also plans to expand these features globally by the end of this year.