Meta to limit teen Instagram, FB use overnight in US; no India rollout yet

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New rules tighten safety; Indian users already have sleep mode, parental controls

Chandigarh, September 4

Meta is set to introduce a default midnight-to-6 am restriction on Instagram and Facebook (FB) for users Under 18 in participating US states. The measure does not apply to India yet.

Announced on August 26, 2026, the agreement with 52 US Attorneys General will also introduce a default two-hour daily limit on combined Instagram and FB use by teenagers. The measures are expected to be rolled out over the coming months.

Under the new night mode, teenagers will be unable to view or post on feed, stories, explore and reels between midnight and 6 am. Direct messaging (DMs) will, however, remain available. Notifications will also be muted by default between 8 am and 3 pm during school hours, except for DMs and account-safety alerts.

The settlement provides for stronger parental controls, age checks and regular reminders for teenagers to take breaks from the platforms.

Meanwhile, Meta has also urged TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar safeguards, saying teenagers can move between platforms when restrictions are imposed on one service.

In India, Meta already has safeguards for teenage Instagram users. It introduced Teen Accounts in the country in February 2025, with stricter privacy and messaging settings, a 60-minute usage reminder and 10 pm-to-7 am sleep mode that mutes notifications and sends automatic replies to the DMs. Parents can also set daily usage limits and block Instagram during specific hours.

Also, in April 2026, Meta expanded its 13-plus content setting to the country, automatically placing users Under 18 in the updated setting, with parental permission required to opt out.

Notably, India is a major market for both platforms. According to DataReportal, figures from Meta’s advertising tools estimated Instagram’s reach in India at 481 million and FB’s at 403 million in late 2025. The figures refer to potential advertising reach and are not equivalent to monthly or daily active users.