Instagram Introduces New Privacy-Focused “Teen Accounts” for Users Under 18

In a significant move aimed at protecting younger users, Instagram has announced that all new and existing users under the age of 18 will be placed into “Teen Accounts” by default. This update applies stronger privacy protections and restrictions to millions of teenage users on the platform, as part of a broader effort by Meta to enhance child safety on social media.

Starting today, these new measures will affect how teens interact with Instagram in key areas, including privacy settings, restricted direct messaging, content recommendations, and even notification controls. Teen Accounts will initially roll out to users in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, with plans to expand to the European Union later this year and to other platforms in 2025.

What Changes Are Coming with Teen Accounts?

The most significant change is that all Instagram accounts for users under 18 will now be private by default. Previously, this applied only to teens under 16, but now it extends to the entire group. This ensures that only approved followers can see their posts and interact with them. Another critical restriction is that unknown users will no longer be able to send direct messages (DMs) to teenagers, reducing the risk of unwanted contact.

Additionally, Instagram is introducing a new “Sleep Mode” feature. Sleep Mode automatically silences notifications from 10 PM to 7 AM, helping teenagers take a break from their screens during late-night hours. Parents can customize when this feature activates and control other aspects of their teen’s account through Instagram’s updated parental controls.

According to Antigone Davis, Meta’s Global Head of Safety, this update is about standardizing and simplifying protections for all teens. “This really standardizes a lot of the work that we’ve done, simplifies it, and brings it to all teens,” Davis said in an interview with The Verge. “It provides essentially a set of protections that are in place and are already populated.”

Tailored Content and Recommendations

Instagram is also enhancing how teens interact with content on the platform. Users under 18 will have the option to choose from age-appropriate content topics in their recommendations and on the Explore page. These topics include sports, animals & pets, travel, and more. Instagram will continue restricting the types of content teens see on Reels and Explore, with notifications reminding them to take breaks from the app after extended use.

Parental Controls Get a Boost

Alongside Teen Accounts, Instagram is rolling out new tools to enhance parental supervision. Parents will now have access to more detailed insights into their child’s online activities, including the ability to see who their teen has messaged in the last seven days—though they won’t be able to view the contents of those messages. Additionally, parents can monitor the topics their teen is most interested in and manage settings like the account’s privacy status.

Teens aged 16 and older will have some control over these settings, but younger teens will require parental permission to make significant changes, such as switching their account from private to public.

Addressing Age Verification Challenges

Meta acknowledges the challenges of age verification, with some teens attempting to lie about their age to bypass restrictions. To counter this, Instagram has already implemented a system requiring users who change their age from under 18 to over 18 to either submit a video selfie, upload an ID, or have other users vouch for their age.

Going forward, Instagram will use AI to further verify users' ages. For instance, if someone claims to be 18 but another user comments, “Happy 14th birthday,” Instagram’s AI can flag this and reassess the user’s actual age. “We have to take a multi-layered approach because there’s no one foolproof way to do this,” Davis explained.

Growing Pressure on Social Media Platforms

These changes come amid increasing pressure from lawmakers and child safety advocates. In 2021, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked documents showing how Instagram’s algorithms could negatively impact the mental health of teens. Since then, Instagram has introduced several safety features, including parental controls in 2022 and research initiatives to study its impact on teen mental health.

Despite these efforts, lawmakers are still concerned. Nearly 40 US states are backing the surgeon general’s proposal to introduce warning labels on social media platforms, while the Senate passed landmark online child safety legislation in July.

What’s Next for Teen Accounts?

With Teen Accounts rolling out this week to new users, existing Instagram users under 18 can expect to see these changes within a week. Meta’s plans to expand the feature to more countries and platforms in the coming months show the company’s commitment to evolving its approach to teen safety.

This initiative marks an important step forward in creating a safer, healthier social media environment for teens, especially at a time when online safety has become a critical concern for parents, regulators, and platforms alike.