Instagram promises more protection for teens on the platform

Instagram is revamping its platform for teens, introducing new “built-in protections” aimed at enhancing safety for young users, while offering parents more control and peace of mind. The updates will be rolled out this week in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia under the new “teen accounts” initiative.

For users under 18, many privacy features will automatically be enabled by default. This includes restricting their content from being visible to non-followers and requiring them to manually approve any new followers. 

Additionally, teens between the ages of 13 and 15 will need to link their account to a parent or guardian to adjust these privacy settings.

Globally, social media platforms are facing increasing pressure to improve safety measures for young users, with concerns about inadequate protection from harmful content. 

Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has described these changes as creating a “new experience for teens, guided by parents.” The aim, Meta says, is to better support parents and ensure they feel reassured that their teenagers are using the platform safely.

The changes will mainly affect users aged 13 to 15, with certain settings being activated by default. These include stricter filters to block sensitive content and prevent exposure to potentially harmful material, as well as disabling notifications during nighttime hours. Teen accounts will also be set to private by default, ensuring that only approved followers can view their content.

Parents who choose to supervise their child’s account will be able to monitor who their teen interacts with and what topics they express interest in, although they won’t be able to see the actual content of messages.

While this system depends largely on users being truthful about their age, Instagram has mechanisms in place to verify ages when there’s suspicion of dishonesty. Beginning in January in the US, the platform will employ artificial intelligence (AI) to detect teens who may be using adult accounts and ensure they’re switched back to a teen profile.