Instagram is to introduce new protections for younger teenage users, with a new Teen Accounts setting that will apply to all under-16s on the platform.
The new feature will restrict who can contact teens and what content they can see, with the settings controlled by parental permission.
“Instagram knows parents want to feel confident that their teens can use social media to connect with their friends and explore their interests – without having to worry about unsafe or inappropriate experiences. They hear parents’ concerns, and that’s why Instagram is reimagining their app for teens with new Teen Accounts,” Instagram said in a blog post.
Teen Accounts will be rolled out to new users in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia from Wednesday, and to Irish and EU accounts later this year.
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The settings will also be applied to teenagers who already use the platform, and users will be moved to the new Teen Accounts within 60 days.
Teenagers will automatically have private accounts, with restrictions on messaging and the most restrictive settings Instagram offers applied to content. Teenagers can only be tagged or mentioned by those they follow, and the anti-bullying “hidden words” feature that filters offensive words and phrases from comments and direct message requests.
A new sleep mode will also mute notifications at night, while additional parental supervision tools will allow parents to monitor who their teenager is contacting, and set limits on when and for how long the app can be used.
Parental permission will be required to change those settings for those under 16.
“This is a big update that requires us to fundamentally change the Instagram experience of tens of millions of teens,” Instagram said. “It’s essential that these new protections are applied correctly, so we’re taking the necessary time to get this right.”
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