Meta Expands Instagram Teen Accounts in India with Enhanced Parental Controls
Meta Expands Instagram Teen Accounts in India with Enhanced Parental Controls
Meta has announced the expansion of Instagram Teen Accounts in India, introducing built-in protections to create a safer online environment for young users. The platform will automatically place teens in the highest safety settings, restricting unwanted interactions, enhancing privacy, and providing parental oversight.
To prevent age misrepresentation, Instagram is strengthening its verification process. If a user attempts to create an account with an adult birthdate, additional verification steps will be required. This move aligns with India’s draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, which propose mandatory parental consent for children’s online accounts.
With the new Teen Accounts, parents can monitor recent contacts, approve changes, set screen time limits, and restrict app usage during specific hours. Default settings ensure that teen accounts are private, limit exposure to sensitive content, and enable anti-bullying features. Additionally, Instagram will prompt teens to take breaks after 60 minutes of daily usage and activate “Sleep Mode” from 10 PM to 7 AM.
Meta’s Director of Public Policy India, Natasha Jog, emphasized that these updates aim to strengthen protections, empower parents, and provide a safer digital space for teens. The company also plans to introduce further parental control features to enhance supervision.
