Instagram has announced the introduction of Instagram Teen Accounts, a new initiative designed to create safer and more tailored online experiences for teens, guided by their parents.
The platform’s new features aim to limit who can contact teens and the content they see, while offering ways for them to explore their interests in a safer environment.
The update will automatically place teens into Teen Accounts, with additional parental oversight for teens under 16, who will require permission to change any settings to less restrictive options.
Built-In Protections for Teens
The new protections aim to address top concerns for parents, including who their teens interact with online, the content they consume, and how much time they spend on the platform.
These protections are activated automatically, with parental supervision required for teens under 16 to adjust settings. Some key protections include:
- Private Accounts: Teens will automatically have private accounts, requiring them to approve new followers and preventing those who don’t follow them from seeing their content.
- Messaging Restrictions: Teens can only receive messages from people they already follow or are connected to.
- Sensitive Content Control: Teens will be placed in the strictest setting for controlling sensitive content, limiting exposure to content such as fights or cosmetic procedures.
- Limited Interactions: Teens can only be tagged or mentioned by people they follow, and offensive comments and messages will be filtered out using Instagram’s Hidden Words feature.
- Time Limit Reminders: Teens will be notified to take a break after 60 minutes of usage per day.
- Sleep Mode: Between 10 PM and 7 AM, notifications will be muted, and auto-replies will be sent to direct messages.
Parental Involvement and Supervision
Parents have the option to approve any changes to these protections for teens under 16. Parents of older teens (16+) can turn on supervision and manage settings as well. Instagram is also enhancing its supervision tools to give parents more insight and control:
- Parents will be able to see who their teens have messaged in the past seven days.
- Daily time limits can be set for Instagram usage.
- Teens can be blocked from using Instagram at night or during specific times with a single button.
Expert Support for Teen Accounts
The updates have garnered support from experts, including Rachel Rodgers, Ph.D., an associate professor of applied psychology at Northeastern University, who noted that “Instagram Teen Accounts reflect the importance of tailoring teens’ online experiences to their developmental stages, ensuring younger teens receive the additional protection they need.”
Enforcing Teen Protections
To ensure teens use these protections, Instagram will require age verification for users attempting to create accounts with adult birthdays. The platform is also developing technology to identify accounts that belong to teens, even if they list an adult age, to place them under the Teen Accounts protection.
Global Rollout
The rollout of Teen Accounts has begun for new sign-ups and will be extended to existing teen users starting next week. Instagram plans to fully implement Teen Accounts across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia within 60 days, with other regions, including the European Union, following later this year. By January 2025, Teen Accounts will be available to users globally.
“These updates offer a balanced approach, empowering parents with essential oversight while respecting teens’ right to explore,” said Lucy Thomas OAM, CEO & Co-Founder of Project Rockit.
Instagram plans to extend these protections to other Meta platforms next year, ensuring teens across its ecosystem benefit from enhanced online safety.
