Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, announced the introduction of Instagram Teen Accounts, a new feature designed to enhance the safety of teens on the platform while providing more control for parents, the company said in a press release on Sept. 17.
The update, which will roll out in phases globally, introduces built-in protections aimed at controlling who can contact teens, limits the type of content they see, and promotes a more “positive” experience for young users, the company said.
Teen Accounts will automatically apply to all new Instagram users under age 16, placing them under a set of privacy and safety controls that cannot be altered without parental consent.
Parents of teens under 16 must approve any changes to these settings, ensuring that young users remain protected by default.
“We know parents want to feel confident that their teens can use social media to connect with their friends and explore their interests, without having to worry about unsafe or inappropriate experiences,” Meta said in the press release.
“This new experience is designed to better support parents, and give them peace of mind that their teens are safe with the right protections in place.”
Other safety measures include default private accounts, messaging restrictions that limit communication to those the teen already follows, and sensitive content controls that filter out mature or inappropriate material from places such as Explore and Reels.
Additionally, time management tools, such as daily usage reminders and sleep mode, can help ensure that teens’ time spent on the app is managed. Meta said these new features were developed collaboratively with parents and teens.
“Given that parents today are grappling with the benefits and challenges of the internet and digital media for their teens, our association applauds Meta for launching Instagram Teen Accounts,” Yvonne Johnson, president of the National Parent-Teacher Association, said in a statement.
“This update demonstrates that Meta is taking steps to empower parents and deliver safer, more age-appropriate experiences on the platform.”
For parents seeking more control, Instagram offers additional supervision features, allowing them to view their teen’s messaging activity, set time limits, block app usage during specific periods, and monitor the content their teen is engaging with.
Parental supervision can also be activated voluntarily for teens over 16, giving parents the option to maintain oversight even as their children grow older.
In response to concerns that teens may circumvent these protections by lying about their age, Meta is developing technology that can proactively identify teens who may have falsified their birth date.
This technology will help ensure that all underage users are placed into the Teen Accounts, regardless of their listed age, the company said. Testing of this feature is set to begin in the United States next year.
Meta plans to implement Teen Accounts for new and existing users in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia within the next 60 days, with a broader rollout in the European Union later this year and other regions worldwide set for early 2025.
The company also said it will extend similar protections to other Meta-owned platforms in the coming year.
From The Epoch Times