Story
Meta Expands Instagram School Features Amid Heightened Teen Safety Scrutiny
Summary
The social media giant is adding new communication and organizational tools for nearly 17,000 participating US schools as it navigates the fallout from a major legal settlement over its platforms' impact on young users.
Meta Platforms announced on Tuesday it is expanding its school partnership program on Instagram with new features for students and administrators, a move that comes as the company faces intense scrutiny over the safety of teen users on its platforms.
Program Enhancements
According to the company's statement, the program, which already includes nearly 17,000 schools in the United States, will receive several key upgrades. The new features are designed to create a more integrated school community experience within the app.
New tools for participating schools and their verified students include:
- A new centralized hub for all school-related accounts.
- A directory of school clubs and teams.
- School-specific Stories and Notes for official announcements.
- New Channels and Notes features to facilitate communication between schools, students, and parents.
AdContext of Regulatory Pressure
The expansion of these school-focused tools follows significant legal and regulatory challenges for Meta concerning its younger user base. The company is actively working to demonstrate its commitment to teen safety in a high-stakes environment.
This initiative comes just a month after Meta agreed in August to a landmark settlement. The company will pay up to $18 billion over the next decade and implement strict new limits on how teenagers can use Facebook and Instagram, resolving claims that it intentionally designed its platforms to be addictive to children.
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