Instagram’s ‘Teen Accounts’: What Parents and Kids Need to Know

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Tens of millions of teenagers with Instagram accounts may soon find their public profiles made private.

That’s because, starting Tuesday, Instagram plans to default all new and existing accounts set up by people who have indicated they are under 18 years old to private mode. In that setting, an account holder must approve new followers before they can see, like or comment on their posts.

The changes are part of a new effort by Instagram, called “Teen Accounts,” that packages new and existing safeguards for young people on the app. The company said the settings would help create more age-appropriate experiences for minors.

Instagram’s privacy and other changes may help address intensifying concerns by legislators and parent groups about the effects of social media apps on children. But they also risk irking some teenagers — and teen influencers — who are deeply invested in their public profiles.

Here’s what to know about the changes.

How will Instagram change for teenagers?

Besides making all new and existing accounts private by default, Instagram said it would now stop teenagers from receiving Instagram notifications between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The app will also limit sensitive content for minors, such as nudity or discussions about self-harm, and prevent direct messages from people they don’t follow — existing restrictions that the company had previously announced.

The app is also introducing a feature to enable teens to select content themes they’d like to see more of, such as arts or sports.

Instagram said account holders who are 16 or 17 will be able to make their accounts public and change other default settings by themselves. But teenagers under 16 will need a parent’s permission to alter the privacy default, sleep mode and other restrictions.

When will teens see the changes to their accounts?

Instagram said it would begin imposing the changes to all newly created accounts, starting this week. Over the next two months, the company said it planned to roll out the privacy and other changes for existing teen accounts in the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia. Teenagers in other countries could see the changes starting in January.

Can’t teens simply lie about their age?

Some teenagers may try to circumvent the privacy changes by setting up new Instagram accounts with birth dates that make them seem like adults. The app said it would require those teenagers to verify their ages in various ways, such as by submitting a selfie video for age-estimation analysis.

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