Meta introduces rules for how teens use Instagram as the company faces scrutiny over child safety on its platforms. The company is rolling out teen accounts, which it says will be guided by parents.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Maybe you heard about this news already on social media. Meta announced new rules for how teenagers use Instagram, which many, many millions of teens do. The company is creating what it calls teen accounts, which it says will be, quote, “guided by parents.” For more, we turn to Washington Post reporter Naomi Nix, who covers social media. Good morning.
NAOMI NIX: Morning. Thanks for having me.
INSKEEP: I’m glad you’re with us this morning. What is a teen account, according to Meta?
NIX: A teen account looks like just a regular Instagram account, except the default safety and privacy settings are a little bit stronger than they are for regular adults. And Meta is hoping that that will do more to pacify parents who are worried about the effect Instagram is having on their children.
INSKEEP: Can you remind me – it’s been a long time since I’ve created an Instagram account. I’ve had it a long time. I don’t remember. Do they ask your age on the way in?
NIX: They now do ask your age. And so those who are under 18 will be automatically shepherded into this new teen account.
INSKEEP: What about people who already signed up? They will also be – like anybody that’s in an account now, if they’re under 18, they’ll be put into that category?
NIX: Yes. So Meta is going to proactively look for teens who are already on the app, including those who might be lying about their age and prompt them to be put into these new sort of tougher privacy and content restricted standards.
INSKEEP: OK, so guided by parents – how does that work? Is Meta going to reach out to me?
NIX: Well, actually, the way parent supervision works on Instagram, both the teen and the parent have to agree that the teen’s account will be supervised. And so the way it’ll work is is for those teens who are under 16, if they want to change some of their safety restrictions, they’re going to have to get their parents’ permission. And so that might prompt some of the younger teens to end up in supervised accounts.
INSKEEP: When we talk about safety restrictions, what kind of content is restricted?
NIX: You know, one of the new standards is that all the teen accounts are private by default, which means, you know, that the outside world, strangers in particular, can’t proactively find them.
INSKEEP: Oh, only your friends, people you’ve actually, like, authorized will see the account. OK, go on.
NIX: Exactly. There’s also sort of – the company has said they’re going to stop notifying teenagers about new updates on Instagram between the time of 10 P.M. and 7 A.M. with the goal of hoping that they concentrate on sleeping and not checking Instagram. So that’s a new thing that’s sort of special for teens. And then also, you know, the company has imposed restrictions on adults being able to reach out to teens as well. And so all of that’s sort of wrapped up in this new teen account. And parents also now have the ability to, like, look to see who their teen is -has been messaging recently, and to set time limits on when they’re allowed to use the app.
INSKEEP: OK, all of this sounds useful, but I want to ask about the timing and the context here because we’re in a moment when there is legislation affecting social media that’s moving through Congress, a coalition of state attorneys general have sued Meta over Facebook and Instagram features that, quote, “harm young people’s mental health.” Is this in some way an effort to head off Meta’s responsibility for what they’re doing and put it on to parents?
NIX: Yeah, the company might be hoping it is. Actually, just, you know, today, the House Energy Commerce Committee is planning to hold up a mark-up on, you know, one of the most toughest child online safety piece of proposed legislation to date that would force tech companies to do more to protect minors and limit their data collection of them. And so the timing is quite convenient here. And as you mentioned, attorney generals are suing Meta, and they’re in the thick of those cases right now. And so this is sort of, you can see this is Meta’s offer in a very fraught political environment.
INSKEEP: Naomi Nix covers Meta for the Washington Post. Thanks very much for your insights. Enjoyed it.
NIX: Thanks for having me.
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