Social media firm Meta on Tuesday said it is extending its ‘Instagram Teen Accounts’ to India in a phased manner, as parents, educators, and policymakers alike have voiced concerns over issues like cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and privacy risks.
Instagram’s new teen accounts will address these concerns by automatically placing all teens in the highest safety settings, empowering them with better tools to navigate the digital world securely, the company said.
The US-based tech firm said Teen Accounts are designed to create a more secure and age-appropriate space for teens online, with built-in protections to limit unwanted interactions, enhance privacy settings, and provide parents with greater oversight.
The feature was first announced in September 2024 as part of Instagram’s efforts to enhance the privacy and safety of younger users. It was initially rolled out in the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada, followed by the European Union.
Data protection rules in India
Interestingly, the development coincides with India’s draft of Digital Personal Data Protection rules, which state that children under 18 require parental consent to create social media accounts. Although Meta will not restrict account creation, the new feature will give parents control over several types of content.
“At Meta, creating a safer and more responsible digital environment is a top priority. With the expansion of Instagram Teen Accounts to India, we are strengthening protections, enhancing content controls, and empowering parents, while ensuring a safer experience for teens,” Natasha Jog, Director, Public Policy India, Instagram, said.
Parental control
The Teen Account protections are specifically designed to tackle key concerns parents have, such as who their teens interact with online, the type of content they are exposed to, and how they manage their time on the platform. These safeguards are enabled by default, and for users under 16, any adjustments to make settings less restrictive would require parental approval, the company said.
For instance, teen accounts are set to private by default, meaning they must approve new followers, and non-followers cannot view or interact with their content. This applies to all users under 16 (both existing and new) and those under 18 when signing up. Similarly, Teens will have the strictest messaging settings enabled, allowing them to receive messages only from people they follow or are already connected with.
For sensitive content, the accounts will automatically be placed in the most restrictive setting, limiting their exposure to sensitive content, such as depictions of physical fights or promotions of cosmetic procedures, in areas like Explore and Reels. Also, ‘Sleep’ mode will be enabled from 10 PM to 7 AM, muting notifications and automatically sending replies to direct messages (DMs) overnight.
“Teen safety online is a growing concern for parents, and Instagram’s new Teen Accounts feature is a step in the right direction. Strengthening privacy settings, limiting unwanted interactions, and adding parental supervision tools can help create a safer space for young users,” Mansi Zaveri, Founder and CEO at Kidsstoppress.com, said.
