Instagram introduces new privacy features for teens
Kyiv • UNN
Meta is introducing new privacy and parental control settings for Instagram accounts of users under the age of 18. The changes include automatic private accounts, interaction restrictions, and time limits.
Meta Platforms has announced the launch of new privacy and parental control settings for Instagram accounts of users under the age of 18 to address growing concerns about the negative impact of social media, Reuters reports UNN.
Details
According to the company, all designated Instagram accounts will automatically be transferred to "Teen Accounts", which will be private by default. Users of such accounts will be able to receive messages and tags only from those they follow or are already connected with, and the settings for sensitive content will be set to the most limited level.
Users under the age of 16 will be able to change settings only with parental permission. Parents will also receive a set of tools to monitor who their children interact with and limit the use of the app.
Meta's decision comes amidst numerous studies linking social media use to increased levels of depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities, especially among younger users.
Meta, ByteDance's TikTok, and Google's YouTube are already facing hundreds of lawsuits filed on behalf of children and school districts over social media addiction. Last year, 33 US states, including California and New York, sued the company for misleading the public about the dangers of its platforms.
The largest platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, allow users aged 13 and older to register.
Addendum
Meta's decision comes three years after the company abandoned the development of a teen version of Instagram under pressure from lawmakers and advocacy groups who expressed concerns about safety.
In July, the U.S. Senate advanced two bills on Internet safety - the Children's Internet Safety Act and the Children's and Adolescents' Online Privacy Protection Act - that would hold social media companies accountable for the impact of their platforms on children and adolescents.
As part of the update, Instagram users under the age of 18 will be notified to close the app after 60 minutes of use each day. Accounts will also have a default "sleep" mode that will turn off notifications at night.
Meta said that teen accounts will be activated within 60 days in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, and in the European Union later this year. Teens around the world will start receiving teen accounts in January.
