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Facebook and Instagram will block DMs to teens unless they're from a friend

Facebook and Instagram users under 16 — or 18, in some places — can no longer receive DMs from anybody they don't follow by default, even if they're sent by fellow teens.

Earlier this month, Meta announced that it will start hiding content related to self-harm, graphic violence, eating disorders and other harmful topics from teens on Instagram and Facebook. An unsealed lawsuit filed against the company by 33 states accuses it of actively targeting children under 13 to use its apps and websites and of continuing to harvest their data even after it's already aware of their ages. A Wall Street Journal report also accused Instagram of serving "risqué footage of children as well as overtly sexual adult videos" to accounts that follow teenage influencers.

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