Meta Launches Instagram Teen Accounts in India

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Meta introduces Instagram Teen Accounts in India, focusing on stricter privacy and safety features for users under 16.
• New features include private accounts, limited messaging, and age-appropriate content to protect teens from cyberbullying and disturbing content.
• Parental controls allow parents to monitor chats, set screen time limits, and approve changes to safety settings for users under 16.
• Instagram’s Teen Accounts also include break prompts and a sleep mode, encouraging healthier social media habits among young users.

Meta has now introduced Teen Accounts on Instagram in India. Apparently, the new feature is aimed at providing a safer online space for more of the younger crowd. It further aligns with the other moves in trying to secure teens from being harmed in terms of their virtual interactions with the rest of the world, things include cyberbullying, disturbing content, privacy.

Instagram’s new Teen Accounts feature in India applies strict safety settings by default for users under 16. Accounts are set to private, with new followers requiring approval, and messaging is limited to existing connections. Additional safeguards restrict exposure to sensitive content, providing a  safer, age-appropriate experience.

Teens will also be automatically placed in the most restrictive setting, limiting their exposure to sensitive content, including depictions of physical fights or promotions of cosmetic procedures, on platforms like Explore and Reels.

Instagram has rolled out new parental supervision tools with its Teen Accounts feature in India. Parents of users under 16 must approve changes to safety settings, while parents of older teens can activate supervision at any time. These tools enable parents to monitor chats, set screen time limits, and restrict access during certain hours.

Instagram’s Teen Accounts now feature prompts to take breaks after an hour of daily use, along with a "sleep mode" that silences notifications from 10 PM to 7 AM. The platform is also strengthening its age verification process to prevent users from bypassing safety measures with false age details.

Natasha Jog, Director of public policy India, Instagram stated, “At Meta, creating a safer and more responsible digital environment is a top priority. With the expansion of Instagram Teen Accounts to India, we are strengthening protections, enhancing content controls, and empowering parents, while ensuring a safer experience for teens.”