The topic of Instagram and its influence on teenagers continues to be discussed in the media. In reaction to public scrutiny, Instagram has now added new tools for restricting content for teenage users who are under 16.

According to the Instagram team, they are committed to creating a safer environment for teenagers on the platform. Now when teens under the age of 16 register on Instagram, they will automatically have the most restrictive settings enabled in the app. There is a Sensitive Content Control panel available on Instagram, and teenagers will get the ‘Less’ option. As a result, they won’t be able to view potentially sensitive content in Reels, Explore, Feed recommendations, hashtags, and more.

As for the teens that already use Instagram, the app will prompt them to enable the ‘Less’ settings. Instagram will also provide a ‘settings check-up' that will remind teenagers to update their privacy and safety settings in the app.

Last year, the company announced that developers are working on new features and tools to improve the experience in the app for teens. There has been plenty of research that shows the harmful influence on the body image of teens and their mental health. According to the Royal Society for Public Health, there is a direct link between the levels of depression and anxiety suffered by teenagers and their constant use of Instagram.

Previously, Meta already introduced a ‘Take a Break’ feature to the app and added hints that allow users to see when they can stumble upon content that may be potentially harmful. The combination of the new and older tools will hopefully change the Instagram experience for teens for the better.

What do you think about such tools? Do you think they will be effective? Please, share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.