Instagram Debuts New Safety Settings For Teenagers

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2021-07-27 18:30:05

Instagram is introducing new safety settings for young users: It's making new accounts private by default for kids under 16, blocking some adults from interacting with teens on its platform, and restricting how advertisers can target teenagers.

The changes come as the Facebook-owned photo-sharing app is under pressure from lawmakers, regulators, parents and child-safety advocates worried about the impact of social media on kids' safety, privacy and mental health.

"There's no magic switch that makes people suddenly aware about how to use the internet," Karina Newton, Instagram's head of public policy, told NPR. She said the changes announced on Tuesday are aimed at creating "age-appropriate experiences" and helping younger users navigate the social network.

"We want to keep young people safe, we want to give them good experiences, and we want to help teach them, as they use our platforms, to develop healthy and quality habits when they're using the Internet and apps and social media," she said.