Instagram has introduced additional built-in protections for teen accounts, blocking teenagers under 16 from certain access without parental approval.
In a statement on Tuesday, Meta said the affected accounts won't be able to livestream or unblur images containing suspected nudity except with a parent’s permission.
“We’re adding new restrictions for Instagram Live and unwanted images in DMs,” it reads. “We’ll make these updates available in the next couple of months.”
Meta explained that it took the measures due to parents' anxiety about strangers contacting their teens or teens receiving unwanted contact.
The teen account program for Instagram was launched in September to allow parents to supervise their children's online activity following concerns about young people's safety.
However, Meta is also making teen accounts available on Facebook and Messenger, offering similar protections to limit inappropriate content and unwanted contact.
The accounts will first roll out in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, before going out to users in other parts of the world.
