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| Instagram makes teen accounts private by default |
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, has announced changes to make the app safer for teens.
Now, by default, everyone under 16 (or under 18 in some countries) in service is assigned a special status. Although there is an opportunity to roll out to the public, it still exists.
Anyone under this age with a public account will receive a notification asking them to switch to a private account.
For some time now, Instagram has been offering private virtual accounts for teens.
In March, teens who signed up for the platform saw a message describing the benefits of having a private account. Now select your default options.
Facebook is also changing the way advertisers target users under the age of 18.
Previously it was possible to locate each user based on their interests and activities, i.e. NS. The information that Facebook collects from the Internet, analyzes your personal Internet browsing history, application usage, etc.
However, advertisers can only target users under the age of 18 based on age, gender, and location. This applies to Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram users.
Instagram said it is also working to restrict how these users interact with users under the age of 16.
It indicates that potentially suspicious behavior can be identified from the account. This means, for example, that the account was recently banned or flagged by someone younger.
These suspicious users are different from users under 16 years of age. Teen accounts will not appear on the Explore pages, scrolls, or suggested accounts.
Facebook makes Instagram safer
Suspicious users will not see comments from users under the age of 16 in others' posts. You may not comment on the content of users under the age of 16.
"We are trying to find out if adults are acting suspiciously," said the platform's director of public policy, Karina Newton. Maybe the adults didn't break the rules. But maybe she did something that made us look deeper.
The platform previously used its ability to identify suspicious accounts to notify teens when they received a direct message from any of the users. Adults are also prohibited from writing to teens who do not follow them.
While Facebook is trying to make Instagram safer and more private for teens, it is still developing an app for children under 13. This attempt has been criticized and denounced several times.
The platform says: Applications for users under the age of 13 are still under development. We hold in-depth consultations with child development experts and data protection staff to address families' needs. We can't wait to create something that catches the eye for teens and parents alike.