Instagram’s parent company Meta has announced new efforts to protect teenagers on its platform, according to Interesting Engineering. The company will use smart computer systems (called artificial intelligence or AI) to find teens who lie about their age and automatically put them into special protected accounts.
How Instagram Finds Teens Who Hide Their Age
The smart computer system (AI) works like a digital detective. It looks at how people use Instagram, who they follow, what posts they like, and even birthday wishes from friends. This system, called an “adult classifier,” can spot patterns that suggest someone is younger than 18 even if they claimed to be older when signing up.
When the system thinks someone is a teen, it automatically changes their account to a Teen Account. It also tracks things like device IDs (special numbers that identify phones and computers) and email patterns to prevent teens from creating fake grown-up accounts.
What Are Teen Accounts?
Teen Accounts are special Instagram accounts with extra safety rules for users aged 13-17. Meta first created these accounts in September last year but is now using AI to put more teens into these protected accounts automatically.
Special Safety Features for Teen Accounts
Teen Accounts come with several protections that regular accounts don’t have:
- Private by default – Only approved followers can see posts
- Limited messaging – Teens can only message people they’ve connected with
- Restricted sensitive content – Less exposure to potentially harmful material
- 60-minute usage reminders – Notifications to take breaks from scrolling
- Sleep mode – Notifications are turned off from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
| Feature | Regular Account | Teen Account |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy Setting | Public by default | Private by default |
| Who Can Send Messages | Anyone | Only approved connections |
| Sensitive Content | Less restricted | More restricted |
| Usage Reminders | Optional | 60-minute reminders |
| Night Notifications | Always on | Muted 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. |
Parents will also receive special notifications about their teen’s Instagram activity. This helps them stay involved in their child’s online experience and guide them on healthy social media use.
Why These Changes Matter
Meta is making these changes for several important reasons. First, there are growing concerns about how social media affects young people’s mental health. Second, governments around the world are considering new laws to protect children online.
One such possible law is KOSA (the Kids Online Safety Act), which would require social media companies to take stronger steps to protect young users. By improving teen safety now, Meta is responding to these pressures and trying to show it takes youth protection seriously.
How Many Teens Will This Affect?
As of April 2025, at least 54 million teens worldwide are using Instagram Teen Accounts. While we don’t know exactly how many American teens will be affected by these new protection measures, we do know that 26.5% of U.S. Instagram users are between 18-24 years old. Many younger teens (ages 13-17) will benefit from these stronger safety features.
For teens who use Instagram, these changes mean a safer experience with fewer risks from strangers, inappropriate content, and excessive use. For parents, it offers more peace of mind and better tools to help guide their children’s social media journey.
These efforts are part of a larger movement across social media to create safer spaces for young users while still allowing them to connect with friends and express themselves online.
