Meta is rolling out a feature to make the teen accounts of Instagram private by default ensuring enhanced privacy and parental controls of users under 18 to address growing concerns to protect children.
As per the new policy, Meta will port all designated Instagram accounts to “Teen Accounts” automatically.
This will make these accounts private by default, the company said on Tuesday.
Users of such accounts can only be reached by direct messages and tagged by accounts they follow or are already connected to.
They will have restricted access to sensitive contents thanks to the settings of touch accounts.
Instagram users under 16 can change the default settings only with a parent’s permission, according to a Reuters report.
Parents will also get a set of settings to monitor who their children are engaging with and limit their use of the app, the report said.
Several studies have linked social media use to higher levels of depression, anxiety and learning disabilities, particularly in young users.
Meta, ByteDance’s TikTok and Google’s GOOGL.O YouTube face hundreds of legal cases filed on behalf of children and school districts about the addictive nature of social media.
Top platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, allow users who are 13 years of age and above to sign up for accounts.
Meta’s move comes three years after it abandoned development on a version of the Instagram app meant for teenagers following lawmakers and advocacy groups’ request to the company to drop it, citing safety concerns.
As part of the update, the under-18 Instagram users will be notified to close the app after 60 minutes each day. The accounts will also come with a default sleep mode that will silence notifications overnight.
