Instagram is taking steps to enhance the safety of its platform for children by making teen accounts private by default. Starting in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, individuals under 18 signing up for Instagram will be placed into restrictive teen accounts, with existing accounts set to be migrated over the next 60 days. The European Union will see similar adjustments later this year.
Meta, Instagram's parent company, acknowledges the potential for teenagers to misrepresent their ages and plans to implement measures to verify ages more rigorously. The company is developing technology to identify teen accounts posing as adults and automatically switch them to restricted teen accounts.
Under the new settings, teen accounts will be private by default, limiting private messages to those from approved followers or existing connections. Certain types of 'sensitive content' will be restricted, and teens will receive notifications after spending more than 60 minutes on the app. A 'sleep mode' will also be activated from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., silencing notifications and sending auto-replies to direct messages.
While these settings will be mandatory for all teens, those aged 16 and 17 will have the option to disable them, whereas those under 16 will require parental consent to do so. The changes aim to address concerns raised by parents regarding unwanted content exposure, unsolicited contacts, and excessive screen time.
The announcement comes amidst legal challenges faced by Meta from numerous U.S. states, accusing the company of negatively impacting youth mental health through addictive platform features. Despite potential short-term impacts on Instagram usage, analysts predict minimal revenue effects from the changes.
While some view the move as a positive step, others criticize it as insufficient. Meta's efforts to address teen safety and mental health have faced scrutiny in the past for perceived inadequacies. The company is now offering parents enhanced oversight options, including parental supervision mode to limit teens' app usage.
Meta's initiative to introduce default private teen accounts aims to provide a safer online environment for young users, with increased parental involvement encouraged to navigate potential risks associated with social media use.
