Instagram gets even stricter with teen accounts
Meta adds teen accounts to Facebook and Messenger
Instagram announced on Tuesday that it is getting even stricter with its protective measures for “teen accounts” on its platform by introducing additional restrictions for users under the age of 16.
Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and Messenger said it is also adding those safety measures for younger users across all three platforms.
Meta said it has expanded protections it set in place last year when it first introduced teen accounts in September with built-in restrictions specifically tailored for younger users in response to parental concerns about how to better protect teenagers to ensure they have a safe experience while using social media.
The new safeguards include prohibiting teens under the age of 16 from going live on Instagram unless they have the permission of their parents.
Instagram told Bagable.com that it will now require teens under the age of 16 to get parental permission to turn off a default feature that blurs images containing suspected nudity in DMs. The platform will activate these teen account safety updates in the coming months.
Additionally, Meta, which owns Facebook and Messenger, said it is launching teen accounts on those platforms as well.
The company also provided an update on the performance of its accounts for teen users.
On Instagram, as many as 54 million have been moved into teen accounts as the platform continues to roll out the accounts globally.
Although teens ages 13 to 15 are able to switch off the default protective measures with parental approval, the company said it found that 97% of teens in that age group kept those measures active.
Meta said it surveyed parents about the usefulness of teen accounts and found that 94% approved them and 85% said teen accounts made it easier for younger users to have positive experiences on Instagram.