Meta has announced a new Instagram alert system in Hong Kong, designed to notify parents when their teenagers repeatedly search for content related to suicide or self-harm.

The feature was unveiled on Thursday during the company's "Building Digital Safety Together: A Forum to Empower Parents" event, as the tech giant partners with local educators and community organisations to address growing concerns about youth online safety ahead of the new school year.

Meta is already rolling out the feature in phases to teen accounts, which cover users aged 13 to 17.

Parents will receive alerts if their teen attempts to search for triggering terms – such as those promoting self-harm or specific words like "suicide" – multiple times within a short period.

Meta said notifications will be delivered via email, text message, WhatsApp, or in-app alerts, depending on the contact details the parent has linked to the supervision feature.

Alongside the warning, parents will have the option to access expert-curated resources designed to help them navigate these sensitive conversations with their child.

The new alert system builds on Meta's existing safety policies, which strictly prohibit content that glorifies or promotes suicide and self-harm.

Philip Chua, Asia-Pacific policy director for products at Meta, said the company is committed to ensuring that young people are consuming content that is age appropriate.

"Aligning all the content on Facebook and Instagram to a 13-plus rating standard that is similar to international movie criteria and informed by parental feedback is going to be important," he said.

Chua added that while the app already sends 60-minute time-limit reminders, parents also have the option to set custom blocks or time limits that suit their family's circumstances.

While the platform does allow users to share their own personal struggles with these issues, the company said such posts are hidden from teen viewers.

Meta already blocks search results for clearly harmful terms, redirecting users to local support organisations and helplines.

The company said it would continue to alert emergency services when it identifies an imminent risk of physical harm.




Edited by Tony Sabine