Meta Platforms is introducing a new type of account mandatory for all teens under 16 this month. Parental supervision features became available in 2022 but are now required for teen accounts.
Instagram created “teen accounts” as a way to combat excessive amounts of time spent on Reels, Instagram’s short-form video content. Specifically, teens spend an average of 4.8 hours on the app daily, which has more than doubled since the 2014 average of under two hours daily. Given the alarming statistics, Instagram has activated sleep mode to silence notifications and added reminders to close the app after 60 minutes.
More importantly, teens are being exposed to sensitive content including hostile situations, explicit material or misleading information. Many fake influencers showcase their extravagant lifestyles while promoting harmful narratives. As a result, numerous teens see these videos as a source of “motivation,” convinced that experiencing conflict will make them stronger.
To counteract these trends, Instagram is making some changes. Teen accounts will be made private by default, users will be limited on who they can send private messages to and teens will be replaced in the “most restrictive tier” concerning viewing sensitive content.
Meta is also implementing measures to verify the ages of users more effectively. This involves using advanced technology and potentially requiring additional documentation to ensure teenagers are not misrepresenting their ages on the platform.
New user Vaibhav Gandikota expressed his thoughts on the changes, saying, “I really appreciate that Instagram is prioritizing safety and privacy for teens. It’s nice to know that they’re trying to create a more secure online space for us to connect and share without worrying as much.”
Some accounts must be public rather than private. Many student leaders make separate accounts for clubs or non-profit organizations. The new restrictions complicate managing club accounts.
Club leaders often need more than 60 minutes to craft quality stories and content, but if parents limit screen time, club content becomes lower-quality and loses its impact. “Coming up with games and recording videos requires a significant time commitment. I’ve found myself editing videos for hours without realizing how much time has passed. To broaden our influence, our content must be top-notch,” Model U.N. Social Media Manager Andres Bravo Garza shared.
In addition, the loss of late-night notifications can cause troubles. Messages about upcoming meetings and conferences require immediate attention from club leaders. If not responded to, it could lead to missed opportunities. “Good communication is essential for teamwork. When messages are overlooked, it can really throw off our plans and leave members feeling disconnected,” Bravo Garza added.
As Instagram unveils new privacy controls for teenagers, users hope the future shifts toward a more responsible online environment. These changes are designed to keep young users safe online but pose challenges for teens involved in content creation. Meta aims to balance pleasing its young audience and parents who want more control.
Arpita Devshetwar • Sep 25, 2024 at 10:02 am
I believe that this is a good approach taken by Instagram but teenagers have a way out through everything. I believe that many teenagers will use their fake ages or make an account on their parents name to have an account without restrictions. This is still a concern as there are many ways teenagers can stop the restrictions on their account, and also social media does have some good effects like advertising, publishing content, earning money and many other benefits the problem comes when teenagers use social media for entertainment or overuse it. These problems can never be solved unless teenagers themselves decide to set goals for themselves, as social media cannot do anything to stop them.