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Starting today, September 17, 2024, Instagram has announced the introduction of a new “Teen Account” setting for all users under the age of 18, a change that will impact how millions of teens use the platform.
The new account type, applied automatically to both new and existing teen users, will enhance privacy and safety measures. Teen accounts will be private by default and include restrictions such as preventing strangers from sending direct messages. In addition, Instagram is introducing new features like a Sleep Mode, which silences notifications from 10 PM to 7 AM.
Antigone Davis, Meta’s global Head of Safety, explained to The Verge that these changes standardize and simplify protections for all teen users.
Teens would also be able to select age-appropriate topics for Instagram recommendations and the Explore page, such as sports, animals and pets, and travel.
Other updates include limiting the types of content visible to teens on Reels and the Explore page, and sending reminders to take breaks from the app. Instagram is also enhancing its parental controls.
Parents would now be able to view their child’s recent message history (without reading the messages) and see which topics their teen frequently engages with.
While teens aged 16 and older can adjust some of these settings, younger users would need parental approval to make changes, such as switching their account to public.
Parents must use Instagram’s supervisory tools to approve any such modifications.
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