Instagram is by no means the first platform to introduce such tools for parents – and it already claims to have more than 50 tools aimed at keeping teens safe.
It introduced a family centre and supervision tools for parents in 2022 that allowed them to see the accounts their child follows and who follows them, among other features.
Snapchat also introduced its own family centre letting parents over the age of 25 see who their child is messaging and limit their ability to view certain content.
In early September YouTube said it would limit recommendations of certain health and fitness videos to teenagers, such as those which “idealise” certain body types.
Instagram already uses age verification technology to check the age of teens who try to change their age to over 18, through a video selfie.
This raises the question of why despite the large number of protections on Instagram, young people are still exposed to harmful content.
An Ofcom study earlier this year, external found that every single child it spoke to had seen violent material online, with Instagram, WhatsApp and Snapchat being the most frequently named services they found it on.
While they are also among the biggest, it’s a clear indication of a problem that has not yet been solved.
Under the Online Safety Act, platforms will have to show they are committed to removing illegal content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or content that promotes suicide or self-harm.
But the rules are not expected to fully take effect until 2025.
In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently announced plans to ban social media for children by bringing in a new age limit for kids to use platforms.
Instagram’s latest tools put control more firmly in the hands of parents, who will now take even more direct responsibility for deciding whether to allow their child more freedom on Instagram, and supervising their activity and interactions.
They will of course also need to have their own Instagram account.
But ultimately, parents do not run Instagram itself and cannot control the algorithms which push content towards their children, or what is shared by its billions of users around the world.
Social media expert Paolo Pescatore said it was an “important step in safeguarding children’s access to the world of social media and fake news.”
“The smartphone has opened up to a world of disinformation, inappropriate content fuelling a change in behaviour among children,” he said.
“More needs to be done to improve children’s digital wellbeing and it starts by giving control back to parents.”