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Meta has announced a prominent move to enhance parental control on Instagram by introducing new ‘teen accounts’ for users under 18. This initiative comes in response to growing concerns from parents and governments about the potential harms of social media on young users. Introducing these accounts allows parents to set stricter limits on their children’s social media usage, including the ability to block access during specific times, control daily usage, and monitor the interactions and content their children are exposed to.
Meta revealed that these teen accounts will apply to new users immediately, and over time, will be extended to existing teenage accounts. This announcement follows the Australian government’s proposal to raise the age limit for social media use, aiming to restrict children from accessing platforms without parental oversight. The Australian government’s move is part of a larger global trend where countries like the U.S., UK, and Canada are grappling with the growing concerns over youth safety on social media.
The new settings under the teen accounts feature will empower parents to not only set time limits but also block teenagers from using the app at night. Parents can also monitor who their child is messaging and viewing online. Teenagers aged 16-18, however, will retain more control over these features, with the option to change them independently unless parental restrictions are activated.
Meta’s Director of Global Safety, Antigone Davis, emphasized that this initiative was driven by feedback from parents, not government mandates. “Parents everywhere are thinking about these issues, and we want to make sure we’re addressing their concerns globally,” said Davis. She added that although the company hasn’t yet extended the features to Facebook, it is open to exploring similar measures on other apps.
Australia’s proposal to increase the minimum age for social media access is gaining attention globally, with UK authorities closely monitoring the development. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the motivation behind this policy is to encourage children to engage in “real experiences” rather than spending excessive time online.