LONDON (AP) — Instagram has recently introduced significant updates aimed at safeguarding young users and empowering parents to exercise more control over their teens' online activities. With concerns mounting over the potential harm caused by social media, particularly among teenagers, the platform's new features are designed to address issues such as cyberbullying, exposure to sensitive content, and excessive screen time.
Teen accounts on Instagram will now default to private settings, requiring approval for new followers and limiting visibility of posts and videos. Messaging restrictions will ensure that teens can only receive direct messages from approved contacts. Additionally, stringent content filters will block sensitive topics and offensive language in comments and messages.
To promote healthier online habits, teens will receive notifications after an hour of app usage and enter sleep mode from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. to reduce late-night screen time. While these restrictions are automatically applied to all teen accounts, older teens have the option to disable them, subject to parental approval.
Instagram is enhancing age verification measures to prevent underage users from circumventing restrictions. Artificial intelligence technology will be deployed to detect teens posing as adults on the platform. Both teens and parents must opt-in to supervision features, with the ability to revoke access at any time.
For parents unfamiliar with Instagram, creating an account is necessary to access supervisory controls. These controls allow parents to monitor their teen's messaging activity and set limits on daily app usage. Parental controls can be activated through the family center feature on the mobile app.
Teens under 18 signing up for Instagram in select countries will automatically be enrolled in restricted teen accounts, with existing accounts transitioning to the new settings. The rollout will extend to other regions and Meta services in the coming months.
For those seeking assistance with tech-related challenges, inquiries can be directed to [email protected].
