In response to growing concerns about teenage safety on social media, Instagram is rolling out new protections that give parents more control and ensure a safer experience for younger users. The latest update targets teenagers under 18, introducing features that allow parents to manage key settings directly from their own devices, while empowering teens to engage with their passions in a secure environment.
New Parental Controls for Under-18 Users
One of the key aspects of this update is the default parental controls for users under 16. Parents can now access their children’s Instagram accounts from their own phones, giving them the ability to monitor and manage key settings. For users aged 16 and 17, while they retain more control, parents still have the option to oversee their online activity, creating a balanced approach that respects growing independence while prioritizing safety.
Instagram’s Global Head of Safety, Antony Davis, explained, “We wanted to reimagine the parent and teen experience on our platform, ensuring that parents can help guide their teens without stifling their autonomy as they grow older.”
Tackling Age Misrepresentation
A challenge that many social media platforms face is teens misrepresenting their age to bypass restrictions. Instagram is addressing this issue with enhanced age-verification tools. While many teens voluntarily provide their correct age, for those who attempt to falsify their details, Instagram now requires additional age verification, especially when users try to set up new accounts or alter their age to access adult content.
“Building technology that can detect when a user is misrepresenting their age is key to our strategy,” Davis shared. “We want to ensure that even those attempting to bypass protections are still subject to the same safety measures.”
Listening to Parent Concerns
Meta’s decision to launch these new features comes after months of gathering feedback from parents. The company has carefully considered their concerns, particularly around safety and mental health, to develop a set of protections that give teens the freedom to explore Instagram safely while reassuring parents that their children are in a secure digital environment.
“Teens often come to our platform to explore their passions and engage with their peers,” Davis said. “But with that comes a responsibility to ensure their experience is both age-appropriate and safe.”
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Encouraging Healthy Digital Habits
One of the standout features of this update is “sleep mode,” which allows parents to set a specific time, typically between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., during which the app will be turned off. Even if parents choose not to activate this feature, Instagram will send a notification encouraging teens to log off at 10 p.m. If direct messages are sent during this period, the sender is notified that a response may not be received until the following morning.
Additionally, Instagram is offering teens the ability to select their interests, ensuring they are primarily exposed to content that aligns with their passions, while limiting exposure to harmful or inappropriate material.
Instagram’s Role in Teen Mental Health
Recognizing the growing role social media plays in teen mental health, Instagram is taking its responsibility seriously. These new features are part of a broader effort to create a space where teens can safely connect with friends, explore their talents, and enjoy the platform without the risks associated with excessive use, cyberbullying, or exposure to destructive content.
Davis emphasized, “Protecting teens’ mental health is integral to our mission. These new tools provide reassurance to parents while helping teens enjoy the positive aspects of social media in a safe and secure way.”
As Instagram continues to roll out these features, Meta’s commitment to teen safety and well-being remains at the forefront of its platform development.
