What you need to know
- Earlier this year, Instagram introduced Sensitive Content Controls to help keep teens away from potentially sensitive content.
- The new options are listed as “More,” “Standard,” and “Less.”
- Users under 18 years of age won’t have access to “More,” while those under 16 will be defaulted to “Less.”
Instagram is adjusting its approach to teens under a certain age so they’re less likely to come across sensitive content.
This week, Instagram announced that it’s making changes to its Sensitive Content Controls. The purpose of the change is to steer teens away from potentially sensitive content when signing up for Instagram while encouraging those already on the platform to update their privacy settings.
Instagram’s Sensitive Content Controls consist of three settings: “More,” Standard,” and “Less.” Instagram users who select “More” will be able to view sensitive content on the platform, while “Less” will hide most of this when compared to the default “Standard” option. The “More” option is not available for users under 18 and under.
With the new update, teens under the age of 16 will default to “Less” when signing up. Instagram says the move will “make it more difficult for young people to come across potentially sensitive content or accounts” while browsing the app. Teens under the age of 16 that are already on the app will receive a prompt that encourages them to switch their settings.
In addition, the platform will begin testing new ways to encourage teens to review their privacy settings. An image shows a prompt appearing in the notifications tab, suggesting the user review who can share and remix their content.
When selected, Instagram will also present teens with additional settings to review, including who can send them messages, the type of content they can see, and how they spend their time on the app.
Instagram has continued to tweak its features to encourage safer browsing for teens. The company previously rolled out nudges that will steer teens away from certain content if the app realizes they’ve been viewing the same content for too long. It also suggests breaks if a teen has viewed Reels for an extended period of time.
For parents who want to supervise how their teens use the app, Instagram now has parental controls to give parents added peace of mind.
