Meta updates safety features for teens. More than 600,000 accounts linked to predatory behavior

Group 1 - Meta introduced new safety features for teen users on Facebook and Instagram, including enhanced direct messaging protections to prevent exploitative content [1] - Teens will receive more information about their chat partners, such as account creation dates and safety tips, to help identify potential scammers [1] - The company reported blocking accounts 1 million times and receiving another 1 million reports after issuing a Safety Notice in June [2] Group 2 - Meta removed nearly 135,000 Instagram accounts earlier this year that were found to be sexualizing children, which included accounts leaving sexualized comments or requesting sexual images [3] - The takedown also involved 500,000 Instagram and Facebook accounts linked to the original profiles that were involved in the exploitation [3] - This initiative is part of a broader effort by Meta to protect teens and children on its platforms amid increasing scrutiny from policymakers [2]