Instagram’s new teen shield: A safety net for young users

No More Strangers in Your DMs

A way to check on who your kid is texting without invading their privacy. (Image credit Meta)

Teen Accounts is a setting that automatically limits who can message teens under 16, ensuring only people they follow or are already connected with can reach out. It’s like a digital bouncer that’s keeping strangers out of their DMs.

These features are very similar to what phones already offer in their parental and wellbeing controls, but it’s nice to see them directly embedded in a social media app. Not that it happened out of the pure hearts at the folks controlling those companies. These changes are only coming to us thanks to intense pressure onto companies such as Meta from legal systems around the world.

Curbing Sensitive Content

Control over sensitive content will be more strict than ever. (Image credit Meta)

Instagram is also beefing up its content controls for teen accounts. This means fewer chances of stumbling upon inappropriate posts or sketchy accounts in the Explore and Reels sections. Think of it as a pair of digital sunglasses that block out the bad stuff.

Just how effective this filter will be is unclear though, as there often are loopholes that can be exploited, so we will have to wait and see if any pop up and how Instagram would fix them.

What parents need to know

Parental permission is necessary of a teen wants to change any of the new settings. (Image credit Meta)

Any changes a teen 16 or younger wants to make to any of these settings will require they add a parent and the approval of said parent. Those over 16 will be able to adjust the settings on their own, unless their account is still being supervised.

So, if you’re a teen or a parent of a teen, rest assured that Instagram is taking steps to make the platform a safer place for everyone. A version of Teen Accounts will also be coming to Meta’s other social media platforms next year.