What is Facebook?
Facebook is Meta’s social network for posts, photos, video, Reels, groups, events, and Marketplace. Teen use often centres on family, school, club, or local groups rather than a single public feed.
Facebook Marketplace is available only to adults under the laws applicable in their country. [6]
Age limit: Protections on Facebook are set by a teenager’s age rather than by one cut-off. Meta began placing eligible teens into Facebook Teen Accounts in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada in 2025. These accounts apply stricter contact and content protections, private-account defaults for under-16s or under-18s in some countries, and location sharing off by default for minors. This should not be read as a completed worldwide rollout. [1]
Meta began rolling out a newer 13+ content setting for Teen Accounts globally in June 2026. Availability can therefore depend on country, age, account, and app version. [2]
Why do kids like it?
- Groups organise everyday activities. Teams, clubs, classes, and local communities can share schedules and updates in one place.
- Local groups share useful information. Community groups can help people find events, recommendations and local updates.
- Events keep plans together. Invitations, locations, and updates are easy to share with a group.
- Family members are already there. Facebook can be a practical way to stay connected across generations.
What are the real risks?
- Profiles can reveal a detailed identity. Names, photos, friends, groups, events, and past posts can build a broad picture of a young person.
- Marketplace listings can be fraudulent. A seller, item, or payment request involving an unknown account may not be genuine.
- Recommended content can be unsuitable. Groups, Reels, and recommendations may surface material a teen did not actively seek; Meta’s 13+ setting reduces rather than eliminates this possibility. [2]
- Private conversations stay out of view. Family Center offers selected tools and insights where available, so harm that happens inside a private chat can continue without a parent seeing it. [3]
Settings to check
- Review Teen Account protections: Open Settings and privacy → Settings, and check the privacy, contact, content, and location choices shown for the account. Treat newer 13+ controls as rollout-dependent. [1] [2]
- Run Privacy Checkup: Open Settings and privacy → Privacy Checkup, and review who can see posts and profile details, how people can find the account, and connected-app choices. [4]
- Connect Family Center where available: Open the account’s supervision or Family Center entry, link the teen and guardian accounts, and review the controls the account actually provides. [3]
- Enable two-factor authentication: Open Accounts Center → Password and security → Two-factor authentication, and choose an available method. [5]
How to talk about it
“Which parts of Facebook are useful to you, and which parts do you mostly ignore?”
“How would you check whether a Marketplace listing or payment request is genuine?”
“What information could someone piece together from your profile, groups, and public activity?”
Last reviewed: September 2026