Instagram Tightens Teen Privacy Amid Rising Concerns Over Youth Safety

Instagram has introduced new privacy features for users under 18, following mounting legal and societal pressure to better protect young users: the platform now defaults teen accounts to private settings, implements stricter time management tools, and restricts exposure to sensitive content. These changes come in response to growing concerns about social media’s impact on teen mental health and safety.

Starting this week in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, new users under 18 will automatically be placed in private accounts. Existing teen accounts will also be migrated to these settings over the next two months, with Europe will see similar updates later in the year. To combat instances where teens misreport their age, Instagram is enhancing its verification process, automatically restricting teen accounts if it detects false information.

In addition to privacy controls, Instagram will now limit the content teens are exposed to, such as material related to violence or cosmetic procedures. The platform will also notify users if they exceed 60 minutes of daily usage and introduce a “sleep mode,” which disables notifications during the night. For teens under 16, parental approval is required to turn off these restrictions.

Meta’s move comes amid lawsuits and criticism that its platforms – along with social media as a whole – contribute to the mental health crisis among youth. While these changes offer a step towards improved safety, critics argue that they may not go far enough, while others argue that the results won’t be clear until the new restrictions have been given proper testing.