A Safer Instagram for Teens

Social media isn’t the healthiest place for teens to hang out and Meta seems to have noticed, launching Instagram Teen Accounts which offer built-in protections.

Adults can limit who can contact the account user and the content they see and provide new ways to safely explore their interests.

Instagram will automatically place teens into Teen Accounts, and teens under 16 need a parent’s permission to change any of these settings to be less strict.

Some of the new built-in protections on Instagram Teen Accounts include a new Sleep Mode feature which mutes notifications at night.

Additional parental supervision tools allow parents to see who their teen is messaging. With parental supervision on, parents can also decide when and for how long their teens can use Instagram.

Teens will also get access to a new feature, made just for them, that lets them select topics they want to see more of in Explore and their recommendations so they can focus on the fun, positive content they love.

Teen Accounts put new protections in place automatically, but many parents want to be more involved in their teen’s experiences so updates to the supervision feature will be made regularly.

Lucy Thomas OAM, CEO & Co-Founder, Project Rockit says, "Young people are constantly seeking agency and connection, and they also need safety and guidance in online spaces. These updates to Instagram's Teen Accounts offer a balanced approach, empowering parents with essential oversight while respecting teens' right to participate and explore. 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."

Jim Hungerford, CEO, Butterfly Foundation added, “We're very pleased to see Meta taking the lead on this critical issue in terms of protecting young people online, particularly around the very real issues relating to body image. Meta is driving platform safety innovations to protect young people’s mental health, importantly involving parents or other carers where appropriate. We have many concerns that social media platforms and government need to address with urgency, including accurate age assurance, algorithm control and legislative changes.”