Instagram Launches Teen Accounts with Safety Features to Protect Young Users

Instagram has introduced “teen accounts,” a new feature aimed at enhancing the safety of users under the age of 18.

In an announcement on Tuesday, September 17, Meta, Instagram’s parent company, revealed that accounts belonging to users under 18 will be automatically converted to private by default and will include restrictions to limit interactions with strangers and exposure to sensitive content.

This step is part of Instagram’s commitment to creating a safer environment for young users.

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The teen accounts will allow only messages from people teenagers follow or are already connected to, while filtering out offensive words and sensitive content and limiting exposure to violence and videos promoting cosmetic procedures.

Additionally, a new “sleep mode” will mute notifications between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and remind teenagers to log off after 60 minutes of daily use.

Parents will also have access to tools for monitoring their children’s interactions, with teenagers under 16 needing parental approval to modify default settings.

 Meta’s teen account feature will begin rolling out in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia within the next 60 days, with a global release expected by January 2025.

The initiative has been widely praised for giving parents more control over their children’s online activity while helping protect teens from harmful content.