- Instagram Teen Accounts are rolling out to users in India.
- These accounts are automatically applied to users aged 13-17, providing built-in safety protections.
- Key protections include limiting who can message your teen, showing age-appropriate content in their feed and search results, and providing time management tools.
Keeping teens safe online is a growing concern for parents. Instagram has addressed this concern by rolling out a new Teen Account feature for users in India. This feature is designed to create a secure and age-appropriate environment for teenagers, giving parents or guardians control over their children’s interactions on the platform.
Meta first released Teen Accounts in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada in September of last year. Only five months later, the feature has arrived in India. But what exactly are Teen Accounts, and how do they work? Let’s break it down for parents.
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What is Instagram Teen Account?
Teen Accounts are Instagram accounts with built-in safety features designed specifically for users aged 13-17. Instagram automatically enables these protections for users in this age group. The goal is to limit unwanted contact, allow only age-appropriate content, and promote healthy time management on the app.
This ensures teens do not come into contact with unsolicited people, do not see content that isn’t meant for them (considering the amount of adult and non-child-friendly content on Instagram), and do not spend all day wasting time on the app. This allows parents to let their child use social media within healthy limits, without being overly concerned.
Here’s what makes a Teen Account different:
- Private by Default: New accounts for 13-17-year-olds are automatically private. This means teens have to approve follower requests, and only their approved followers can see their stuff.
- Stricter Messaging: Teens can only get messages from people they already follow or have connected with before. This cuts down on creepy or inappropriate messages from strangers.
- Restricted Tag and Mentions: Teen accounts only allow tags and mentions from people they follow. Remixing content is also limited to people they follow and who follow them back.
- Limited Content Exposure: Instagram’s algorithms are tweaked to show less sensitive content in search, Explore, Reels, and the main feed for Teen Accounts. This helps keep teens away from stuff that might be harmful or too mature.
- Digital Wellbeing: Teens get reminders to take a break after 60 minutes on Instagram and Threads, and “sleep mode” kicks in automatically from 10 PM to 7 AM, muting notifications and reminding them to log off.
Teen Accounts vs. Instagram Supervision: What’s the Difference?
While Teen Accounts offer a baseline level of protection, Instagram also offers a Supervision feature that gives parents additional control. It’s crucial to understand the difference:
- Teen Accounts: These are the automatic safety features applied to all accounts for users aged 13-17. They are not optional. These features are part of a Teen Account.
- Instagram Supervision: This is an optional tool that parents can use to gain more oversight of their teen’s Teen Account. It requires agreement from both the parent and the teen. It enhances the protections already in place with the Teen Account.
Here’s a simpler example: Teen Accounts are like the car itself, with built-in safety features like seatbelts, airbags, and stability control. Supervision is like adding a parental control system to the car, allowing you to monitor speed, set location limits, etc. It builds upon the car’s existing features.
Note that neither Instagram Teen Accounts nor Supervision allows parents to see their teen’s search history, read their direct messages, change their password, or post on their behalf.
How to Enable Instagram Teen Account
Instagram’s Teen Account features are enabled automatically based on age. There’s no need to “turn them on.” You’ll see a message, “An experience made just for you,” with details once these settings are applied to your account. Here’s how it works:
- New Accounts (13-17): When a user aged 13-17 creates a new account, Teen Account features are automatically applied. This includes the private default setting, stricter messaging, limited content exposure, and time reminders. There’s nothing the teen or parent needs to do to turn these on – they’re just there.
- Existing Accounts (Under 16): Users under 16 with existing accounts were automatically transitioned to Teen Accounts. Their accounts are now private (even if they were previously public), and they need parental/guardian permission to change to public.
- Existing Accounts (16-17): Users aged 16-17 with existing accounts also had Teen Account features automatically applied. They can change their account to public without permission, unless they have Supervision set up with a parent or guardian.
The Teen Account feature is rolling out gradually to the public. So, even if you expect it to be enabled, it might take some time for it to activate on your teen’s account.
Instagram May Ask for Age Verification
Instagram may require age verification to confirm a user’s age and ensure the correct Teen Account features are applied. Meta has partnered with Yoti for ID verification. Teens may be asked to upload a video selfie with their ID card. Meta will then verify the ID and facial features to confirm their age. In some cases, teens may also have the option to ask friends to help with verification.
Conclusion: Keeping it Real with Your Teen
Instagram’s Teen Accounts are a much-needed step towards keeping teens safer online (and a smart move from Meta, especially considering Australia’s ban on social media for kids under 16). But let’s be real – they’re not a magic bullet.
Parents are still the MVPs here. While the built-in features are a great starting point (especially since many parents don’t even know their child is on Instagram), you’re the one who can really guide your teen through the wild world of social media.
So, have those sometimes-awkward conversations about online safety, privacy, and what’s okay to share (and what’s definitely not). Help them understand why a private account might be a good idea, and talk about what they’re seeing online and how it can affect them. Even if they’re 16 or 17 and think they know it all (we’ve all been there!), stay in the loop.
Don’t be overly restrictive or simply ban social media use (that’s what the Teen Account feature is for – to promote healthy use). Just keep an eye on things and be their go-to person if they run into any bumps. Happy parenting!
