Instagram Teen Accounts: What They Restrict

What Changed

Instagram places users it knows or suspects to be under 18 into Teen Accounts, which come with built-in protections: accounts are private by default for under-16s and for new under-18 sign-ups (existing public accounts of 16- and 17-year-olds are not switched automatically), messaging is limited to people they follow or are connected to, they are placed in a 13+ content setting that hides more content that may be inappropriate for under-18s, and there are time-management prompts including a sleep mode that silences notifications overnight. Teens under 16 cannot simply switch these protections off themselves — loosening key settings requires a parent's permission through Instagram supervision in Family Centre — and under-18s need a parent's permission to move to a less restrictive content setting. Meta also says it uses AI to find suspected teens who list an adult birthday, and that this has launched on Instagram in the UK. As always, the protections rely on the age Instagram has for the account.

What to Review

• •Check that your teen's account has their real date of birth registered.

Parent Actions