Within 60 days, Instagram will begin transitioning millions of underage users to a new mode, with new teen registrations automatically set to this by default.
The new accounts, designed for teens aged 13 to 15, will come with enhanced privacy settings. Instagram is changing how its platform works for minors, promising more built-in protections and greater control and peace of mind for parents.
Teen posts will be set to private by default, meaning only followers will be able to see them, according to BBC. Parents will also need to approve any new followers. Essentially, these accounts will function like regular private profiles. These settings can only be changed if parents give the child account supervision or once the child turns 16.
The update also includes stricter controls on sensitive content to block potentially harmful material and will mute notifications at night. However, a Meta executive expressed concern that despite efforts to protect kids online, many parents are not using these new updates.
Parents who choose to supervise their child’s account will be able to see who their child is messaging and what topics they are interested in, though they won’t be able to read the actual messages. Instagram stated that within 60 days of announcing these changes, they will begin moving millions of existing underage users into the new “parental mode.”
