Instagram to automatically place teens in built-in protections

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Instagram introduced Teen Accounts that will automatically place teens in built-in protections, its parent company Meta Platforms said Tuesday in a statement.

The new measure, which will limit who can contact teens and the content they see, and help to ensure their time is well spent, also aims to reassure parents that teens are having safe experiences.

"We know parents want to feel confident that their teens can use social media to connect with their friends and explore their interests, without having to worry about unsafe or inappropriate experiences," said the statement.

"We understand parents’ concerns, and that’s why we’re reimagining our apps for teens with new Teen Accounts," it added. "This new experience is designed to better support parents, and give them peace of mind that their teens are safe with the right protections in place."

Teens, in addition, will also get access to a new feature that will allow them to select topics they want to see more of.

"Teens under 16 will need a parent’s permission to change any of the built-in protections to be less strict within Teen Accounts," the statement said.