Meta helps teens block unwanted messages on Messenger and Instagram

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Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, has announced a new feature that will help users protect themselves from unwanted messages from strangers on its messaging platforms, Messenger and Instagram. The feature will require people who are not connected with a user to send a text-only invitation to chat, and they can only send one at a time. Users won’t be able to send another one until the recipient accepts or declines.

The feature aims to prevent harassment and abuse from unknown people, especially adults who may target teens. The invitations are also limited to text only, so users won’t receive unsolicited photos, videos, voice messages, or calls from strangers. Meta said the feature will give its teen users more control over who can contact them and what they can see. This joins the new parental supervision hub Meta introduced for its platforms.

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Meta launches new parental supervision hub on Messenger

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Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, has announced new parental control tools for its platforms. These tools are designed to create a safer and healthier online environment for young users and their guardians. One of the new features is a parental supervision hub in Messenger, which lets guardians monitor their teens’ privacy and safety settings, contact list changes, app usage time, and report history. This hub is rolling out in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. 

The hub is part of the Meta Family Center, a central place where parents and guardians can find resources and tools to help manage their teens’ experiences across Meta technologies. The hub will also allow guardians to see who can message their teens—only their friends, friends of friends or no one—and who can view their stories. The guardians will also get notifications if the child changes any of these settings or reports someone.

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Voicebox is Meta’s first entry into the generative AI space for speech

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Meta has recently unveiled its first generative artificial intelligence tool for speech. The tool, named Voicebox, can handle various speech-generation tasks without being explicitly trained for them, thanks to its in-context learning ability.

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Meta Quest users can now watch Reels in virtual reality

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Reels, the short-form video feature Instagram launched to compete with TikTok, is now coming to Meta Quest, the company’s VR headset. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the news on Instagram with a Reel from influencer Austin Sprinz, who explored the world’s deepest pool. The immersive video showcases how Reels can offer a different viewing experience on VR than on mobile or the web.

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