What is Facebook?
Facebook is a social network owned by Meta. Users can post text, photos and video, join groups, buy and sell on Marketplace, organise events and watch Reels. Although fewer teenagers use it as their main app, many still need an account for school groups, sports teams, Marketplace or to sign in to third-party apps. Since September 2025, accounts for under-18s are automatically placed in Teen Account mode with stricter privacy defaults. Parents can use Meta Family Center to supervise screen time, contacts and content settings — and under-16s need parental permission to weaken any protection.
Age limit: 13 years (under-16: parental permission required to change default restrictions).
Why do kids like it?
- School, club, and sports groups. A lot of practical information is shared in closed Facebook groups — training schedules, homework, events.
- Marketplace. Buying and selling second-hand items, especially among older teens.
- Events and party invitations. Facebook Events is still widely used for organising and sharing events.
- Family connections. Grandparents, relatives abroad, and older family members are often on Facebook.
What are the real risks?
- Extensive data collection. Meta’s business model is built on personal data. Facebook’s real-name policy also makes profiles easy to find by name, and third-party apps using Facebook login can access personal information.
- Marketplace scams. Young people buying or selling can encounter fake listings, fraudulent payments or pressure to meet strangers in person.
- Misinformation and harmful content. Open groups and the recommendation algorithm can expose young people to conspiracy theories, political extremism and content that is not age-appropriate.
- Privacy defaults vary by age. Teen Accounts (under-18) are private by default, but from age 16 teens can weaken those protections without parental approval. Adults remain public by default unless they change settings manually.
Settings to check
- Run Privacy Checkup: Go to Settings → Privacy → Privacy Checkup and work through every step — it covers profile visibility, friend requests, tagging and past-post limits in one guided flow.
- Review app permissions: Go to Settings → Apps and Websites and remove any app your child no longer uses. Each connected app can access personal information.
- Set up Meta Family Center: Visit familycenter.meta.com, link your child’s account and configure screen-time limits, contact restrictions and content settings from your own device.
- Enable two-factor authentication: Go to Settings → Security → Two-Factor Authentication and turn it on to protect the account from unauthorised access.
How to talk about it
“Do you have a Facebook account? What do you mainly use it for?”
“Are there people in your Facebook groups that you don’t know in real life?”
Last reviewed: April 2026