Instagram has launched Teen Accounts, a new feature designed specifically for teens with parental guidance
Teen accounts come with built-in protections that limit who can contact these accounts, control the content they see, and provide ways for them to explore their interests safely.Â
Users under 16 will need parental permission to make any changes to these default settings.
Teen Accounts have been created to help address parents’ biggest concerns about online safety.
The protections include:
- Private Accounts: Teens must approve followers, and those who don’t follow them can’t see or interact with their content.
- Messaging Restrictions: Teens can only receive messages from people they already follow.
- Sensitive Content Controls: Teens are automatically placed in the most restrictive settings, limiting exposure to inappropriate content.
- Limited Interactions: Only followers can tag or mention teens, and offensive words will be filtered out of comments and DMs.
- Time Limits: Teens receive notifications to log off after 60 minutes daily, with Sleep Mode automatically enabled from 10 PM to 7 AM.
Teens under 16 will need their parent’s permission to change settings, and parents of older teens (16+) can activate supervision for greater oversight.
This feature allows parents to monitor who their teen is messaging, set daily time limits, or block usage during specific times.
To ensure teens don’t bypass the system by lying about their age, Instagram is planning to use advanced technology to identify and protect teen accounts.Â
Testing for this will begin next year in the U.S.
Instagram will start moving teens into Teen Accounts within 60 days across the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia, with a global expansion expected in January 2025.
READ MORE:
- A third of people want Government to increase targeted measures for children in low-income families
- What is Nocturia? The condition 9 in 10 pregnant women experience
- Budget 2025: All of the potential boosts coming our way
