Instagram Launches 'Teen Accounts' To Protect Young Users

Key Takeaways

• Instagram "Teen Accounts" will include limits on who can contact young users and the type of content they can see.
• Instagram users younger than 16 will need a parent's permission to change any of the built-in settings.
• Meta Platforms, the owner of Instagram, was sued last year for allegedly targeting children and teenagers with addictive and manipulative features.

Instagram is launching "Teen Accounts," designed to provide additional privacy for users under 18.

The Meta Platforms (META) social media app's new built-in protections for teen users include limits on who can contact them and the type of content they can see. Teens younger than 16 will need a parent's permission to change any of the included settings, the company said Tuesday. 

Users currently must verify that they are at least 13 to create an Instagram account.

Instagram Teen Accounts automatically will be set to private, meaning teen users will have to manually accept any new followers. The accounts also will be subject to the strictest messaging settings, meaning only people "they follow or are already connected to" can message them. Teens can also "only be tagged or mentioned by people they follow," Instagram said.

Notifications To Take Breaks From Instagram

Additionally, Teen Accounts will receive reminder notifications to leave the app after an hour each day and sleep mode—which mutes notifications and sends auto-replies to direct messages—will be enabled between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. daily. 

Teens who create accounts now will be subject to the new restrictions, with existing accounts converted within 60 days in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, and in the European Union (EU) "later this year." Beyond those countries, Teen Accounts will go into effect in January.

Meta Sued Last Year Over Allegedly Harming Children

Last October, a coalition of 33 states sued the tech giant, alleging Meta's social media platforms harm children and teenagers and accentuate a national mental health crisis.

The plaintiffs accused Meta of targeting children and teenagers with addictive and manipulative features to keep them engaged on its apps to maximize advertising revenue and profits.

Last month, the Financial Times reported that Meta and Alphabet's Google had a "secret deal" to target Instagram advertisements to teenagers on YouTube.

Meta shares edged higher to $534.88 Tuesday afternoon. Shares are up about 50% this year.

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