Meta's Twitter rival might be coming on July 6

Screenshots: Meta

Meta's Twitter rival Threads is reportedly coming to iOS on July 6. The app, which was first reported in May, is a text-based conversation platform that integrates with Instagram. A listing was spotted on the iOS app store with that estimated release date. 

Based on the screenshots posted in the listing, users can keep their Instagram handle and follow the same accounts they follow on the photo-sharing app. They can also choose who can see their posts, and interact with others by hearting, sending, and sharing messages. 

Click to read more ...

Instagram's 'Quiet mode' comes to Facebook

Image: Meta

Meta is introducing new features to help users manage their time and well-being on its apps, especially for teens. One is the "Quiet mode," which lets users mute notifications and auto-reply to messages that they are taking a break. This feature, which was first available on Instagram, will now be extended to Facebook. Users will also get a reminder to take a break after 20 minutes of using the app.

Another feature is a nudge for teens who watch Reels late at night to close the app and sleep. Meta said these nudges are designed to promote healthy habits and balance online and offline activities. Teens can choose to ignore these nudges or opt out of parental supervision altogether.

Source: 1 + 2

Meta helps teens block unwanted messages on Messenger and Instagram

Image: Meta

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.

Source

Meta launches new parental supervision hub on Messenger

Image: Meta

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.

Source