Meta Adds Parental Controls to Threads Despite Its Own Research Finding They Don't Curb Compulsive Use

Meta announced parental supervision tools for Threads on July 21, 2026 — time limits, overnight sleep mode, and privacy controls via Family Center, rolling out in the U.S. the week of July 27. In February 2026, Meta's own research found these tool categories do not effectively curb teens' compulsive social media use. Threads has 500 million monthly users.