Meta hosts ‘Digital Suraksha for Teens’ roundtable to promote online safety

Meta, in collaboration with 1M1B, organised a ‘Talking Digital Suraksha for Teens’ on 21 May 2024 that was attended by Principals, Coordinators and IT teachers of NPS-RNR.

The session focused on empowering parents to confidently manage their teens’ use of smartphones and digital devices. It also gathered valuable insights from parents and educators regarding their experiences and concerns about teens' social media usage and other online trends.

Natasha Jog, Director of Public Policy in India for Instagram, highlighted the importance of meaningful and safe online engagement for young users.

She stated, “We recognise the need for our young users especially to spend time online meaningfully, to do all the things that they love while staying safe. Through this series of conversations across India, we are seeking ways to engage with educators and empower parents to manage their family’s online experiences, with the boundaries and protections that work best for them.” Meta has also entered a two-year partnership with the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology (ITBT), Government of Karnataka. This collaboration aims to empower students and educators across schools and colleges with information and education on online safety and digital citizenship.

Over the past three years, Meta has introduced more than 50 safety tools and features to promote online safety. Recent additions include ‘Night Nudges’, which prompts users to stop using Instagram late at night, and ‘Quiet Mode’, which allows teens to manage their time on Instagram and control what they see.

The Parental Supervision feature on Instagram enables parents to view the accounts their children follow and those that follow their children, fostering greater parental involvement in their teens' online experiences.