To better safeguard young users on its platform, Instagram has introduced enhanced protective measures for accounts predominantly featuring children. These updates specifically target profiles managed by adults, including family vloggers, parenting influencers, and talent agencies working with underage content creators. The platform will now enforce its strictest privacy settings automatically for such accounts, including limitations on direct messaging and default activation of its “Hidden Words” feature to block offensive remarks.
Key Updates for Child-Focused Accounts
- Stricter Message Controls: Adults running child-centric accounts can no longer receive messages from non-followers, reducing exposure to potential predatory behavior.
- Proactive Comment Filtering: Instagram’s AI-powered “Hidden Words” tool will filter out harmful or spam comments without requiring manual activation.
- Restricted Recommendations: Users previously blocked by teen accounts or flagged for suspicious activity will be barred from appearing in search results or suggested follower lists for these profiles.
Expanded Protections for Teen Users
Instagram is also rolling out additional safeguards for all accounts belonging to minors:
- Account Age Verification: The month and year an account was created now appears in chat windows, helping users assess credibility.
- Streamlined Safety Tools: Combined block-and-report options allow quicker responses to uncomfortable interactions.
- Automated Nudity Protection: Over 99% of teen accounts retain the platform’s automatic image-blurring feature for unsolicited explicit content.
Ongoing Enforcement Efforts
Meta reports significant progress in combating exploitation, including:
- Removal of 135,000 Instagram accounts violating child safety policies
- Elimination of 500,000+ related Facebook and Instagram networks
- 1 million monthly blocks and reports initiated by teen users through safety prompts
The platform now notifies affected accounts about these automatic security upgrades through in-app alerts, encouraging profile privacy reviews. These changes address growing concerns about child safety in digital spaces, particularly regarding parental sharing of children’s lives online. Recent investigations have highlighted troubling patterns of exploitation, including inappropriate adult engagement with children’s content and commercial activities tied to underage influencers.
