What you need to know
- Instagram is bringing its Teen Account protections to Canada after a U.S. rollout, aiming to make the platform safer for younger users.
- AI will flag suspected underage users — even with fake birthdays — and auto-switch them into restricted Teen Account settings.
- Teens in these settings get tighter controls on who can contact them and what content they see, but flagged adults can easily fix errors.
- Parents in Canada will now get direct notifications with expert-backed tips for talking to their teens about using real birthdays online.
Instagram is doubling down on making its platform less of a wild west for younger users. After rolling out its Teen Accounts protections in the U.S. earlier this year, the company is now expanding its test to Canada.
The new settings are designed to limit interactions with unwanted accounts and filter inappropriate content. So, even if someone lists an adult birthday but seems under 18, Instagram’s AI will automatically switch them into Teen Account settings.
Those settings restrict who can contact them and filter out inappropriate content. The company is quick to acknowledge that its AI isn’t perfect. If the system makes a mistake and flags an actual adult, that user will have the option to easily revert their settings and correct their age, but the goal is to keep most under-18s in a safer digital space by default.
Parents are getting a nudge, too
The move isn’t just about algorithms. Parents are getting pulled in, too. Starting today, Instagram will send notifications to parents in Canada with conversation tips, developed with pediatric psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, on how to talk with their teens about using their real birthdays online.
Instagram’s message is clear: if teens list the right ages, the system can protect them better.
The company says more than 54 million teens worldwide are already in Teen Accounts, and 97% of 13 to 15-year-olds have kept the protections on. Over 90% of surveyed parents think the safeguards help, but many still feel overwhelmed by managing their kids’ online lives. By nudging parents directly and backing them up with AI, Instagram is hoping to close the gap.
The platform admits age verification online is still an industry-wide headache. Even with AI and parental involvement, misrepresentation happens. Still, by linking parental approval and app store age checks with its own tech, Instagram is trying to make it harder for underage users to slip through the cracks.
