On Wednesday, Meta announced the launch of enhanced safety features for teenage users on Instagram. The social media company, based in Menlo Park, is expanding its protection measures for Teen Accounts, providing young users with additional tools for secure communication through the platform’s direct messaging (DM) feature. Teenagers will now be able to see when other users created their accounts, along with important safety reminders for interactions with unfamiliar individuals.
In a recent update shared through a newsroom post, Meta emphasized that these new features are part of an ongoing commitment to safeguard young users from potential risks and promote an age-appropriate experience. The company pointed out that existing protections, such as Safety Notices, Location Notices, and Nudity Protection, have assisted millions of teenagers in avoiding unsafe situations on the platform.
The newly introduced safety features will be available within Instagram’s direct messaging system. One of these enhancements will provide teenagers with safety tips before they send a message to another user, even if they have mutual followers. The prompts will encourage teens to carefully review the other person’s profile and remind them that they are not obligated to engage in conversation if anything feels off. Additionally, these reminders will advise underage users to be cautious about the information they share.
When a teen sends a direct message to someone for the first time, they will be shown the month and year the recipient joined Instagram at the top of the chat window. Meta aims for this addition to give young users more context about the accounts they communicate with, thereby helping them to identify potential scammers.
The second safety feature activates when a teenager attempts to block someone in their DMs. A new option labeled “Block and report” will appear, allowing users to simultaneously block the account and report the incident to Meta. This streamlined process is designed to simplify the steps needed to end an interaction and alert the platform about concerning behavior.
Furthermore, Meta is broadening the scope of safety features for Teen Accounts to include adult-managed accounts that primarily showcase children. These accounts typically feature profile pictures of minors and are often controlled by parents or managers who post on behalf of users under the age of 13.
Importantly, while Meta permits adults to maintain accounts for children, declaring this in their bio, any accounts operated by children themselves are subject to removal.
The company indicated that these adult-managed accounts will now benefit from certain protections similar to those offered to Teen Accounts. This includes placement under Instagram’s strictest messaging settings to limit unwanted communications and the activation of Hidden Words to filter out offensive comments. To inform these account managers of updated safety settings, Instagram will display a notification at the top of their feeds.
