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Instagram cracks down on default content settings for teens

Instagram cracks down on default content settings for teens
Image Credits: Instagram

In a recent update, Instagram is now defaulting the Instagram accounts of new users under 16 years old to “Less,” the most restrictive setting for Sensitive Content Control which was introduced to the platform last June. 

Now, users who are over 18 years old still have access to “Standard,” “Less,” and “More,” but teenagers only have access to “Standard” and “Less.”

Teenagers who are already on Instagram are also getting push notifications “encouraging” them to switch to heavier filtering settings across Search, Explore, Hashtag Pages, Reels, Feed Recommendations, and Suggested Accounts.

Instagram is also testing prompts that limit who can interact with teenager’s content. In the the test, the prompt will ask teenagers browsing Instagram to review privacy and security settings related to who can re-share their content, who can message them, the type of content they can see, and time management controls.

This is the most recent in a series of updates targeting young users. In March, the platform introduced a number of parental controls, that allow parents and guardians to monitor what their child does on Instagram, including how much time they spend on the app, and recently, it rolled out a feature that nudges teenagers away from specific topics if they spend too much time on it. 

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