Instagram’s latest move to protect its younger audience takes shape with the introduction of “Teen Accounts.”
Starting today, teens under 16 will be placed into these accounts, which come with built-in protections. These safeguards limit who can contact them and control the content they see. Parents will need to grant permission for teens to adjust these settings, ensuring a safer digital experience for the next generation.
Instagram aims to reassure parents that their teens can explore the app without fear of inappropriate content or unsafe interactions.
Built-In Protections in ‘Teen Accounts’
The default settings in Instagram Teen Accounts address key concerns about online safety. With a private account setting, only approved followers can see a teen’s content, keeping unwanted contacts at bay. Teens can only receive direct messages from people they already follow. This ensures that they are not exposed to unsolicited messages, reducing the risk of harmful or predatory interactions, said Meta, which owns the popular image and short video sharing platform.
Sensitive content filters will also limit exposure to inappropriate material, such as violent or suggestive content. Instagram promises that the most restrictive content settings will be automatically applied, particularly in areas like Explore and Reels, which tend to surface trending posts.
Instagram is also turning on its “Hidden Words” feature by default for teens, filtering out offensive comments and direct messages. This anti-bullying measure helps protect teens from harmful language, allowing for a healthier interaction space.
Time Management and Parental Control
One of the central features of Instagram Teen Accounts is the focus on time management. Teens will get reminders to log off after 60 minutes of usage per day, and the app will enter “Sleep Mode” from 10 PM to 7 AM, muting notifications and sending auto-replies to any direct messages received during this period.
Parents will also have control over how much time their teens can spend on Instagram. Through the supervision feature, they can block access to the app during specific times, such as overnight or during school hours. These tools aim to help families set boundaries, ensuring teens’ online time remains balanced with their offline responsibilities.
Addressing Parents’ Concerns
Incorporating parental supervision is at the heart of this update. Parents of teens under 16 will need to approve any changes that make the protections less strict. For older teens, parents can choose whether or not to turn on the supervision feature. This allows parents to decide how involved they want to be in managing their teen’s Instagram experience.
“These updates to Instagram’s Teen Accounts offer a balanced approach, empowering parents with essential oversight,” said Lucy Thomas OAM, CEO & Co-Founder of Project Rockit. “In an ever-evolving online world, this update ensures that young people can engage meaningfully and safely, fostering positive connections while still providing the protection they need.”
Instagram’s changes come at a time when parents are increasingly concerned about how their children engage with social media. According to Dr. Megan Moreno, Co-Medical Director of the SAMHSA-Funded AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, the default safety and privacy settings are a step in the right direction. “We look forward to hearing from teens about their experience of these new Teen Accounts and associated features and settings,” she added.
Age Verification and Compliance
Teens lying about their age have been a persistent challenge for social media platforms. Instagram aims to tackle this issue by requiring age verification in more areas of the app. If a teen tries to sign up with an adult birthday, they will be required to verify their age. Instagram is also developing technology to identify accounts likely belonging to teens, even if their profile lists an adult age.
This proactive step aims to catch underage users and automatically place them into Teen Accounts, applying the same protections as those for younger teens. The company plans to start testing this new age-verification technology in the U.S. early next year.
Safe Content for Teens
The introduction of Teen Accounts also places a spotlight on the content teens can access. Instagram will apply its strictest content restrictions, limiting exposure to mature or inappropriate material. This includes content that promotes dangerous behaviors, like self-harm or cosmetic procedures.
By curating a safer feed, Instagram hopes to create a more positive and constructive environment for teens. The platform will continue to remove any content that violates its guidelines, and it aims to reduce the number of sensitive posts that teens may encounter, even from people they follow.
Instagram plans to automatically place teens into Teen Accounts over the next 60 days across key markets, including the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia. European Union countries will see the rollout later this year, with a global rollout expected by January.
This update marks a significant shift in how the platform caters to its younger users. It also paves the way for similar protections across other Meta platforms in the future.
Industry Reactions
Meta’s new approach to teen safety has drawn praise from various sectors. The National PTA President, Yvonne Johnson, commended the move, saying it reflects Meta’s commitment to providing safer, age-appropriate experiences.
“With teens automatically placed in Teen Accounts and certain privacy settings turned on by default, this update demonstrates that Meta is taking steps to empower parents and deliver safer, more age-appropriate experiences on the platform,” Johnson said.
The UK data privacy watchdog shared a similar sentiment. Stephen Almond, Executive Director of Regulatory Risk, stated:
“We welcome Instagram’s new protections for its younger users following our engagement with them. Our Children’s code is clear that kids’ accounts must be set as ‘high privacy’ by default, unless there is a compelling reason not to do so. We’ll keep pushing where we think industry can go further, and take action where companies are not doing the right thing.”
Academic experts also weighed in, highlighting the importance of tailoring online experiences to teens’ developmental stages. Rachel Rodgers, Associate Professor of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University, praised Instagram’s age-specific protections. “Younger adolescents require additional safeguards, and Instagram is taking that into account with these updates,” Rodgers noted.
What’s Next for Teen Accounts?
As Instagram continues to develop and refine its Teen Accounts, the platform will gather feedback from both parents and teens to assess the effectiveness of these protections. The company is also set to roll out new features that offer even more oversight and customization for parents, including the ability to adjust settings directly to be more protective.
By combining built-in safeguards with options for parental control, Instagram aims to strike a balance between safety and exploration, fostering an environment where teens can engage meaningfully while staying protected.