Instagram has rolled out new safety features for teen accounts, aiming to protect users under 16 from inappropriate content and interactions. According to a statement released on Tuesday by parent company Meta, teenagers will now require parental permission to access certain features, including livestreaming or viewing potentially explicit images in direct messages.
Meta explained that the updates are part of its continued efforts to address growing parental concerns about online safety, particularly around strangers contacting teens or teens receiving unsolicited content.
“We’re adding new restrictions for Instagram Live and unwanted images in DMs,” the company said, noting that the new rules will roll out “in the next couple of months.”
These changes build upon the Teen Account Supervision tools introduced last September, which allow parents to monitor their children’s online activity more closely. Meta has also expanded similar protections to teen accounts on Facebook and Messenger, creating a unified approach across its platforms.
The new controls will first launch in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, before expanding globally.