Instagram Unveils Major Teen Safety Upgrades: Teen Accounts Now on Facebook and Messenger
Last year, Instagram launched Teen Accounts with built-in restrictions to help keep teens safe online while giving parents more peace of mind. Today, the social media network has announced that it’s rolled out even more updates to strengthen those protections.
Teen Accounts were created to give teens a safer, more age-appropriate experience on Instagram. These accounts come with features that limit who can contact your teen, control what they see, and even put some time limits on how much they use the app.
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New Features for Extra Safety
No Live Streaming for Teens Under 16 (Without Parent Approval)
One of the biggest updates is that teens under 16 won’t be able to go live on Instagram unless they get permission from a parent. This is a big plus for many parents since live streaming can expose teens to random people, unfiltered comments, and sometimes inappropriate interactions. With this new rule, parents have more control over when and how their teen goes live.
Blurred Images in DMs (Parental Permission to Turn Off)
Instagram is also taking extra steps to protect teens from explicit content in their direct messages. Now, teens under 16 will need parental approval to turn off a feature that blurs images that may contain nudity or inappropriate content in their DMs. This update will help prevent teens from accidentally seeing harmful content while messaging with friends.
Teen Accounts Are Expanding to Facebook and Messenger
Teens are active across multiple platforms, not just Instagram, but also on Facebook and Messenger. Recognizing this, Instagram is now expanding its Teen Accounts feature to include these platforms as well. Starting today, teens will be able to benefit from the same built-in safety protections on Facebook and Messenger that were originally introduced on Instagram.
Meta is rolling out these safeguards across all of its apps, ensuring that parents have more control and visibility no matter where their teens are online. This expansion means that parents can rest a little bit easier, knowing their teens are protected across the board, whether they’re scrolling through Instagram, chatting on Messenger, or interacting on Facebook.
Teen Accounts Are Catching On
Since launching, Instagram’s Teen Accounts feature has been growing fast. 54 million teens have already switched to a Teen Account, with more teens expected to join in the coming months. 97% of teens aged 13-15 have kept the default safety settings on, which keeps them automatically protected. This high adoption rate demonstrates that the built-in safety features are resonating with both teens and their parents, helping create a safer social media experience for younger users.
According to a survey conducted by Ipsos, 94% of parents say that Teen Accounts are helpful, and 85% feel that the features make it easier to help their teens have positive experiences on Instagram.
In addition, over 90% of parents say the default safety features, like limits on who can contact their teens and what they see, are beneficial in keeping their teens safe online.
While it’s virtually impossible to keep track of everything your teen is doing online, Instagram’s Teen Accounts offer more control without the need to monitor every post or message. It helps them stay safe while still allowing them the freedom to enjoy the platform.
Though Teen Accounts and other safety features give a good starting point for keeping teens safe online, it’s still important for parents to stay involved. No app can replace the value of having open conversations with your teen about what they’re doing online and setting some guidelines.
Checking in on their online activities and keeping the lines of communication open about what is acceptable online helps teens navigate the internet safely.
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