Meta Platforms is rolling out a "teen" option for younger users in a bid to keep kids safe online. September 17, 2024.
© Jefferson Graham/USA Today
(Menlo Park, CA) – Meta Platforms, the parent company of both Instagram and Facebook, is taking a new step aimed at keeping minors safe on social media. It involves the creation of “teen accounts,” so as to craft a more age-appropriate experience on Instagram.
This follows studies that have shown the negative and harmful effects that social media platforms like Instagram — one of the world’s most popular photo and video sharing apps. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in front of Congressional lawmakers after those claims became more widespread — and even paused to apologize to parents of impacted children.
The “teen accounts” will be rolled out for Instagram, with new built-in protections. It allows parents to limit who can interact with and contact their children online. They can also set a timer to limit kid’s screen time. Both new and pre-existing accounts will have the “teen” option. Any current teenage users will receive a notification about the migration of their account to the “teen” tier.
