LONDON: Meta Platforms is building more safeguards to protect teen users from unwanted direct messages on Instagram and Facebook, the social media platform said on Thursday.
The move comes weeks after the WhatsApp owner said it would hide more content from teens after regulators pushed the world’s most popular social media network to protect children from harmful content on its apps.
The regulatory scrutiny increased following testimony in the US Senate by a former Meta employee who alleged the company was aware of harassment and other harm facing teens on its platforms but failed to act against them.
Meta said teens will no longer get direct messages from anyone they do not follow or are not connected to on Instagram by default. They will also require parental approval to change certain settings on the app.
On Messenger, accounts of users under 16 and below 18 in some countries will only receive messages from Facebook friends or people they are connected through phone contacts.
Adults over the age of 19 cannot message teens who don’t follow them, Meta added.
Meta moves to protect teens from unwanted messages on Instagram, Facebook
https://arab.news/yznw7
Meta moves to protect teens from unwanted messages on Instagram, Facebook
- New rules will prevent teens from receiving direct messages unless they are connected
Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC
- Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month
RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.
The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience.
Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.
“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”
With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.
The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.
Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”
The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”
Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”
He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”
