In a significant move to safeguard young users, Instagram has launched “teen accounts,” a innovative feature designed to enhance safety and well-being for individuals under 18.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, announced the development in a blog post, highlighting its commitment to protecting vulnerable users. This update automatically converts all accounts of minors to teen accounts, complete with default privacy settings.
As Adetutu Sobowale reports, “Instagram’s teen accounts will only receive messages from individuals they follow or are already connected to, effectively limiting unwanted interactions.” Additionally, sensitive content, including graphic material and videos promoting cosmetic procedures, will be restricted.
To promote healthy social media habits, Instagram has introduced features such as:
Time management tools, notifying teenagers to take breaks after 60 minutes of daily usage.
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A “sleep mode” that automatically mutes notifications between 10 pm and 7 am, sending auto-replies to messages.
Parental consent requirements for users under 16 to modify default settings.
Tools enabling parents to monitor their children’s activity and set app usage limits.
These features aim to empower teenagers to navigate social media responsibly while ensuring parents have greater control over their child’s online experience.
The rollout of teen accounts is expected to commence within 60 days in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, with global expansion planned by January. Meta also plans to extend this feature to its other social media platforms in 2025.
By prioritizing youth safety and well-being, Instagram sets a precedent for social media platforms to create secure environments for minors.
