Instagram users under the age of 18 will be given an automatic “teen account” with stricter privacy features, the social media platform announced on Tuesday, as social media companies are increasingly under the spotlight over security for minors.
The Meta-owned company said the safety protection makes parental approval mandatory for some features. It will also make teen profiles automatically private, with less access to content deemed sensitive and features to limit screen time.
For the first time, anyone 15 or younger will need a parent or guardian's permission to opt out of the most restrictive settings.
But 16 to 17-year-olds will not need parental approval to do so. “This new experience is designed to better support parents, and give them peace of mind that their teens are safe with the right protections in place,” Instagram said in a blog post.