By adding two new features to the direct messaging (DM) section of Instagram, Meta is improving teen safety.
Instagram now shows safety advice when a teen starts a conversation, even with someone they follow and who follows them back.
Read on to find out all the details about these two new safety features!
Meta Boosts Teen Safety on Instagram with New DM Features
According to these guidelines, teenagers should carefully read the other person’s profile and refrain from sharing anything if it seems unsettling or suspicious.
Additionally, Instagram will now display the month and year that the other user’s account was created at the top of the chat window.
The purpose of this feature is to make it easier for teenagers to spot accounts that might be fraudulent or scam accounts.
To make it easier to stop and report harmful conversations, a new “Block and Report” button is being added to the chat interface.
Teenagers can now report and block in one step, as opposed to having to do both separately in the past.
Meta Rolls Out Stricter Safety Settings for Child Accounts Managed by Adults
Adult-managed Instagram accounts run on behalf of minors under the age of thirteen will now have access to Meta’s strictest safety settings.
Enhanced protections, like the following, will be automatically applied to these accounts, which are usually managed by parents or talent managers:
- More robust message controls
- A filter for hidden words to prevent offensive remarks
- New safety warnings at the user’s feed’s top
Although these child accounts can be managed by adults, Meta explained that the account will be deleted if the platform determines that a child is using it.
These safety updates are specifically intended to enhance the online experiences of Indian children and teenagers, as India is one of Instagram’s biggest markets.
As social media usage among Indian families and youth continues to rise, Meta is working to make the internet a safer and more age-appropriate place.
