2 months ago
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Instagram has introduced ‘teen accounts,’ a new feature aimed at enhancing the safety of users under 18 on the platform.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, made the announcement in a blog post on Tuesday.
According to the statement, all accounts of users under 18 will automatically switch to Instagram teen accounts, with privacy settings enabled by default.
With this update, teen accounts will only receive messages from individuals they follow or are already connected to.
The platform will also restrict “sensitive content,” including violent material and videos promoting cosmetic procedures, and will filter out offensive words and phrases from comments and direct message requests.
A new feature will notify teenagers to take a break from the app after 60 minutes of daily usage. Additionally, a “sleep mode” will automatically mute notifications between 10 pm and 7 am, sending auto-replies to messages, advising contacts to reach out during the daytime.
Users under 16 will need parental consent to modify the default settings, while those aged 16 and 17 can disable these settings without parental approval.
Parents will also have access to tools allowing them to monitor their children’s activity and set limits on app usage.
The feature is expected to begin rolling out within 60 days in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, with other countries receiving it by January.
Meta also announced that teen accounts will be introduced to its other social media platforms in 2025.
