Instagram Introduces Teen Accounts to Make Platform Safer for Kids
In response to growing concerns over the impact of social media on young people, Instagram has announced the introduction of separate teen accounts for users under 18. This move comes as the company faces lawsuits from multiple states, alleging that its platform has contributed to the youth mental health crisis.
Starting Tuesday in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, new users under 18 will automatically be placed into a teen account. Existing users will be migrated to teen accounts over the next 60 days. The European Union will follow suit later this year.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, acknowledges that teenagers may misrepresent their age and is implementing measures to verify their ages more strictly. The platform will utilize technology to identify teens posing as adults and automatically move them to restricted teen accounts.
Teen accounts will default to private, limiting who can message them to only those they follow or are connected to. Certain “sensitive content” such as graphic videos or ads promoting cosmetic procedures will be restricted. Teens will also receive notifications if they spend more than 60 minutes on the app and can enable a “sleep mode” that disables notifications overnight.
While these features will be mandatory for users under 16, 16 and 17-year-olds can opt-out with parental permission. Meta aims to address concerns from parents about unsuitable content, unsolicited contacts, and excessive app usage through these changes.
The introduction of teen accounts is part of Meta’s ongoing efforts to improve safety for young users on its platforms. With parental supervision mode, parents can set limits on teens’ app usage. To access less restrictive settings, users under 16 will require parental approval and can connect their accounts for oversight through the family center.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has previously expressed concerns about the burden placed on parents to navigate children’s online safety. With these new features, Meta hopes to empower parents to have conversations with their teens and address online challenges like bullying and harassment.
Teen accounts present an opportunity for families to engage in meaningful discussions about online behavior and create a safer digital environment for young users. It’s a step towards fostering healthier online habits and promoting responsible social media usage among today’s youth.
