Instagram introduces teen accounts to address growing concerns over teen safety on social media platforms. In response to increasing criticism regarding how social media impacts young people’s mental health and well-being, Instagram is rolling out teen accounts with built-in parental controls.
Beginning in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, users under 18 who sign up for Instagram will automatically be placed into a teen account, while existing accounts of teens will be migrated within the next 60 days. The goal is to create a safer environment for younger users and provide more oversight to parents and guardians.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, acknowledges the growing backlash against social media’s influence on young people. As a result, the Instagram introduces teen accounts a system designed to restrict the type of content teens can access, limit interactions with strangers, and encourage healthier usage habits.
Instagram introduces teen accounts as part of this effort to create a more secure and positive online space for young users.
Enhanced Privacy and Messaging Restrictions for Teens
When Instagram introduces teen accounts, privacy is a top priority. By default, these accounts will be set to private, meaning that only followers approved by the teen can view their content. One of the significant features of this change is that private messages on Instagram will also be restricted.
Teens will only be able to receive messages from people they already follow or are connected with. This move addresses parents’ concerns about unwanted interactions and contact from strangers, which has been a significant issue on social media platforms.
Moreover, Instagram introduces teen accounts with additional limitations on “sensitive content,” including videos or images that may depict violence, promote cosmetic procedures, or otherwise be deemed inappropriate for younger audiences. These restrictions aim to shield teens from potentially harmful content and ensure a safer online experience.
However, Instagram is not only focusing on the content teens see but also on how long they spend on the platform. Teen accounts will feature notifications for users who spend over 60 minutes on the app, encouraging them to take a break.
Furthermore, Instagram introduces a “sleep mode” feature for teens, which disables notifications and automatically sends auto-replies to direct messages from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. This addition is designed to prevent teens from spending excessive time online late into the night, a problem that has been linked to poor sleep habits and mental health issues in young people.
Parental Control and Supervision Features
Instagram has introduced “Teen Accounts”, a new feature designed for teens with parental guidance.
— ㆅ (@howfxr) September 17, 2024
These accounts have built-in protections to control who can contact them and limit the content they see. Teens can also explore their interests safely. pic.twitter.com/a1fuxWp9a2
Instagram introduces teen accounts with parental control features that empower parents to take a more active role in monitoring their children’s online activities.
One of the key complaints from parents has been that they often feel left out when it comes to managing their children’s time and behavior on social media. Meta has responded by giving parents more control over their teens’ accounts.
With the new teen accounts, kids under 16 will need parental permission to change their settings to less restrictive options. Parents will have the opportunity to enable parental supervision, allowing them to see who is messaging their teen, who their teen is following, and who is following them.
Additionally, parents can review the messages their teens have sent over the past seven days, enabling more informed conversations between parents and their teens about online safety.
Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, recently highlighted that many parents have not been using the parental controls available on Instagram.
However, by making teen accounts a default for new users under 18 and by requiring parental oversight for those under 16, Instagram introduces a more structured system designed to encourage parents to take advantage of these tools.
The hope is that teen accounts will foster greater dialogue between parents and teens, helping to address issues like online bullying, harassment, and the excessive use of social media.
Meta’s product head, Naomi Gleit, emphasized the importance of parental involvement, stating that the introduction of teen accounts should incentivize families to use the parental supervision features more frequently. The “family center” option in Instagram allows parents to monitor their teens’ activity, providing greater transparency into who their teens are interacting with online.
Addressing Criticism and Mental Health Concerns
Instagram introduces teen accounts at a time when the platform is under heavy scrutiny for its impact on young people’s mental health. Lawsuits from several U.S. states have accused Meta of intentionally designing Instagram and Facebook features to addict children to its platforms, contributing to the youth mental health crisis.
Social media has often been linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues in teenagers, with some critics arguing that platforms like Instagram have not done enough to mitigate these risks.
The Instagram introduces teen accounts is part of Meta’s ongoing effort to address these concerns, though some critics remain skeptical about whether the changes will be enough. For instance, while teens will receive a notification when they’ve spent 60 minutes on the app, they will still be able to bypass this alert and continue using Instagram unless their parents enable the parental supervision mode.
Nevertheless, Instagram introduces teen accounts as a step toward offering better protections for younger users. In addition to limiting screen time, the platform aims to reduce exposure to potentially harmful content and prevent unwanted contact from strangers. These measures, coupled with the ability for parents to closely monitor their teens’ activity, are intended to create a safer digital environment for young people.
Despite these efforts, some advocates for children’s mental health argue that tech companies like Meta need to take on more responsibility rather than placing the burden entirely on parents. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy voiced this concern last year, stating that parents are being asked to manage rapidly evolving technology that previous generations never had to deal with, while the platforms themselves need to take more active steps to safeguard young users.
Instagram introduces teen accounts may be a move in the right direction, but the ongoing dialogue surrounding social media’s effects on mental health is far from over.
As Instagram introduces teen accounts with more robust parental control features, it is responding to the growing concerns of parents, lawmakers, and mental health professionals who have long criticized social media’s role in the lives of young people. By making accounts private by default, restricting messages, limiting sensitive content, and enabling parental supervision, Instagram is attempting to provide a safer and more regulated environment for teenagers.
Whether these changes will be sufficient to address the broader mental health concerns associated with social media remains to be seen, but they represent a significant shift in how platforms like Instagram interact with their younger audiences.
Instagram introduces teen accounts with parental controls to create a safer online space for young users while offering more oversight for parents and guardians.
let’s enjoy few years on earth with peace and happiness….✍🏼🙏