How to activate parental supervision for Facebook teen accounts

Being a Nigerian parent means you worry about the global digital space as much as any local threat. You want your child to connect, learn, and grow online, but you also need assurance they are safe from predatory contacts and harmful content. That assurance now exists. 

Meta, an American multinational technology company that operates several prominent social media platforms like Facebook, has globally expanded Teen Accounts for Facebook and Messenger which automatically enforces the platform’s strictest privacy settings for users aged 13–17.

According to Meta, Instagram Teen Accounts have been well-received in 2024, with 97% of teens aged 13-15 keeping their default restrictions on, and 94% of US parents saying Teen Accounts would be helpful. Now, they are making Teen Accounts available worldwide after it was launched on April 8th, 2025 across the UK, US and Australia.

However, the ultimate tool for peace of mind is activating Parental Supervision through the Meta Family Center. 

“We want to make it easier for parents to have peace of mind when it comes to their teens’ experiences across Meta’s apps, so today, we’ll begin making Teen Accounts available on Facebook and Messenger. Teen Accounts on Facebook and Messenger will offer similar, automatic protections to limit inappropriate content and unwanted contact, as well as ways to ensure teens’ time is well spent,” Meta said.

This guide provides the essential step-by-step process for Nigerian parents to safely open an account and gain transparent oversight of their child’s digital life.

Step-by-Step guide to establishing parental supervision

To ensure the account is set up safely and to activate your ability to manage key settings and screen time, both the parent and the teen must agree to link their accounts via the Meta Family Center.

Phase 1: Parent Initiates the invitation

1. Log into Your Facebook Account: As a parent, ensure you are logged into your own Facebook profile.
2. Access the Family Center: In your account settings, navigate to the Settings & Privacy menu, then select Settings. Look for the dedicated section labeled Supervision or Family Center (often listed under Tools and Resources).
3. Create a New Invite: Select the option to “Create an invite” or “Invite a teen” for Facebook. Meta will generate a unique invitation link or code.
4. Share the Link: Send this invitation link directly to your child via email, WhatsApp, or through Messenger. Note: The link is secure but typically expires after 48 hours, so timely action is required.

Phase 2: Teen accepts the supervision

1. Gain access to the link: Before your child clicks on the shared invitation link on their device, ensure that he or she has an active facebook account.
2. Review and consent: The teen is directed to a page explaining what you (the parent) can and cannot see (e.g., you cannot read their private messages, but you can see their contacts and time spent). The teen must review the terms and explicitly agree to the supervision.
3. Account link confirmed: Once the teen accepts, the parental supervision is immediately active, and the account is securely linked.

Phase 3: Parent manages the safety dashboard

After the link is established, you can manage the account’s safety settings from your own Family Center dashboard:

1. Set time limits: Set a daily maximum screen time and activate “Sleep Mode” to mute notifications between 10 PM and 7 AM.
2. Manage Privacy Veto (Ages 13-15): Approve or deny any request by your teen to change their default safety settings (e.g., switching their profile from Private to Public).
3. View Contacts and Friends: Access their list of Facebook Friends and Messenger contacts to ensure they only connect with people they know.
4. Monitor Blocking/Reporting: See who your child has blocked and get alerts if they report inappropriate content or an abusive account (if the teen chooses to share that report with you).

By combining the automatic, built-in protections of the teen account with your active parental supervision, you create a powerful, transparent, and collaborative framework for a safer digital experience.

Key Considerations for Parents

1. Minimum Age: The minimum age is strictly 13 years old. If your child is younger, you should not create an account for them, as it violates Facebook’s Terms of Service and their account could be deleted.
2. Automatic Protections: Even without setting up supervision, the Teen Account features (stricter default privacy, content filtering, time limit reminders) are automatically applied to all users in Nigeria who state their age as under 18.
3. Supervision is mutual: Supervision is an opt-in process that requires consent from both the parent and the teen. The teen can stop the supervision at any time, but you will be immediately notified.

This shift represents a significant advantage and a clear mandate for Nigerian parents which shows that your child’s account has automatic guardrails, but you must set up the dashboard.