Instagram introduces 'Teen Accounts' with enhanced parental controls
Instagram has launched a new feature called 'Teen Accounts,' designed to provide an enhanced level of protection for young users on the platform. This initiative comes after the social media giant faced criticism from lawmakers, for not adequately safeguarding its underage user base. The updated feature will now require parental consent for users under 16 years of age, who wish to opt out of these protections even if they don't have a supervised account.
New protections limit interactions
The enhanced protections in 'Teen Accounts' will restrict who can interact with young users, and limit the type of content they can access. Teens will need to approve new followers, and can only receive messages from those they follow or have previously connected with on another Meta platform. The feature also includes automatic filtering of offensive language in direct messages (DMs) and comments on their posts.
The feature restricts access to sensitive content
Instagram's new feature will also limit teens' exposure to certain sensitive content on the Explore page and in Reels. For example, it will not display content that depicts violence or promotes cosmetic procedures. To modify these settings, teens must establish parental supervision and seek permission. This measure is part of Instagram's effort to create a safer online environment for its younger users.
It addresses screen time and mental health concerns
The 'Teen Accounts' feature also includes measures to manage screen time. Teens will receive a notification to close the app after an hour of daily use, and sleep mode will be automatically activated between 10:00pm and 7:00am each day. This move is seen as a significant step toward addressing mental health issues linked with social media use.
Parental controls in 'Teen Accounts' allow monitoring of interactions
The updated parental controls in 'Teen Accounts' will enable parents or guardians to see, who their teen has messaged in the past week. While they won't be able to read the actual messages, this feature provides an overview of their teen's interactions. Parents can also set daily time limits for app use and choose to block night-time usage entirely, instead of just relying on sleep mode.
