Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has announced a global rollout of new “teen accounts” for its platform, aimed at providing enhanced control and safety features for younger users.
Parents Can Monitor
This initiative is designed to address growing concerns about online safety and parental control.
Starting in 2025, new Instagram users under the age of 18 will be automatically placed into these specialized teen accounts. Existing teen users will gradually be transitioned to this new account type, according to Digi24.
The updates include a range of new restrictions to help parents monitor and manage their children's Instagram activity more effectively.
Key features of the new teen accounts include the ability for parents to set daily usage limits, block access during specific times, and review which accounts their children are messaging.
Additionally, parents will be able to monitor the categories of content their teens are viewing. For users under 16, these new privacy settings will require parental permission to alter, whereas those between 16 and 18 can modify settings on their own.
Proposal from Australian Government
This update follows a recent proposal by the Australian government to increase the minimum age for accessing social media platforms, aiming to protect younger users. Meta’s global introduction of these teen accounts is a proactive measure to address similar concerns worldwide.
Antigone Davis, Meta’s Global Head of Safety, emphasized that the decision to implement these changes was driven by parental feedback, not just regulatory pressure.
Davis stated, "Parents everywhere are thinking about these issues. From a youth safety perspective, it makes sense to address global concerns and enhance protection for younger users."
The new teen accounts will replace existing privacy settings for minors, including limitations on new follower approvals, content sensitivity restrictions, and the filtering of offensive language.
