Meta announced that it has added new protections to its Instagram app for teens, preventing those under 16 years old from using live streaming without parental consent.
In addition to the built-in protections provided by Teen Accounts, we are adding new restrictions on Instagram Live and unwanted pictures in DMs. In a press statement, the company stated that teens under 16 years old will not be allowed to go Live without their parents’ permission. In addition, the new updates require adults to permit a feature that automatically blurs pictures containing nudity in messages.
Meta will introduce Teen Accounts on Instagram in September 2024. This is in response to growing mental health concerns amongst underage users who are exposed to explicit material through the popular photo-sharing app. The company stated that approximately 54 million teens worldwide had been switched to Teen Accounts.
Teen Accounts also include features such as making accounts private by default and only allowing direct messages from those they follow or who are connected to. They can also limit sensitive content that young users view. Users are also notified if they have been using the app for over 60 minutes. “Sleep Mode” is activated at night, which disables notifications and auto-responds to direct messages.
The pernicious effects of social media broadly and Instagram specifically on the world’s youth were front and center in the phenomenally successful Netflix series “Adolescence.” The series has been seen by over 114 million households as of Thursday, making it the 4th most-watched series ever for the streaming platform. A primary plot point is the effect of Meta’s app and how its “quick to judge, quick to anger” interface has eroded the moral compass of the Western world’s teenagers.
Meta conducted a survey that found that 94% of parents surveyed said that the recent changes were helpful, and 84% stated that the changes had given their teenagers a positive experience.
