Instagram has introduced a new feature called “teen accounts” aimed at enhancing the safety and privacy of users under the age of 18.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, announced the rollout in a statement on Tuesday, revealing that the new feature will automatically convert all accounts of users under 18 to private by default.
Teen accounts will come with several safeguards. Users will only be able to receive messages from people they already follow or have previously connected with.
Additionally, Instagram will limit exposure to “sensitive content,” including violence and videos promoting cosmetic procedures. Offensive words and phrases in comments and direct messages will also be filtered out.
To help teenagers manage their time on the platform, notifications will encourage them to leave the app after 60 minutes of use each day.
A “sleep mode” feature will mute notifications between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and automatically reply to messages with a note asking users to reconnect during the day.
Users under 16 will need parental permission to adjust the default settings, but those aged 16 and 17 will be able to modify them without approval.
Parents will have access to tools that monitor their children’s interactions and restrict app usage.
The teen accounts feature will begin rolling out in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia within 60 days, with other countries expected to follow by January 2025.
Meta also plans to expand this feature to other social media platforms under its ownership in 2025.
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