Meta Platforms announced this week that the California-based conglomerate will take action to protect minors who have profiles on their Instagram product.
The company plans to make accounts on the popular photo-sharing program private by default for all participants who are under 18 years of age.
The revised measures designate materials produced by younger users as visible only to their followers unless a parent or guardian changes the privacy controls. Individuals over 16 will have the ability to disable this feature without needing adult permission.
In addition to the limits on viewing access, Meta indicated the new policy also includes improved identification of sensitive content, controls on instant-messaging, and features to reduce excessive use of the platform.
“The new teen account protections are designed to address parents’ biggest concerns, including who their teens are talking to online, the content they’re seeing, and whether their time is being well spent,” the tech giant said in an internet posting.
The decision comes as Meta has faced legal scrutiny from 33 U.S. states, accusing their corporate leadership of doing little to address the mental health concerns that many young people may develop from the overuse of social media.
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