Instagram Introduces New Safety Features for Teen Users

Social media giant Instagram has announced major changes to the app aimed at improving safety and reducing harm for teenage users. Under the new system, teenagers under 16 will be automatically placed into a "teen account" with strict default settings, such as private accounts, limited messaging restrictions, and strict content settings. The goal is to shift the balance in favor of parents and give them more control over their child's online activities.

Key Takeaways:

• Teenagers under 16 will automatically be placed into a "teen account" with strict default settings, including private accounts, limited messaging restrictions, and strict content settings.
• The new settings will limit interactions, such as tagging or mentioning, to only people the teenager follows, and will also send them a notification to leave the app after an hour's use each day.
• Parents will have the option to see who their teenager has been messaging in the past seven days, set daily time limits for Instagram app usage, block app use for specific time periods, and see the topics their child has been looking at.
• The new system aims to give parents more control over their child's online activities and protect them from potential harm.
• The change is a response to regulatory pressure to better protect young users from online harm, particularly in light of the upcoming Online Safety Act in the UK.
• Sir Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, emphasized the need for a wider ecosystem-level debate around age verification tools that work across app ecosystems, rather than individual platforms.

Statistics:

• Teenagers under 16 will have their accounts restricted to private settings by default.
• Messaging will be limited to only contact with those they are already connected with.
• Meta's strictest sensitive content settings will be applied to teen accounts by default.
• New teenage users signing up to Instagram will be placed into a teen account from today.
• Existing users will have their accounts updated to the new system next week, with plans to implement the changes in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia within two months, and in the EU later this year.

Sources:

• PA Technology Correspondent, Jamie Greer, quoting Sir Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs.
• Meta's announcement on new safety features for teen users.
• The Online Safety Act in the UK.