Instagram continues to take steps to ensure the safety of everyone—teens especially. The Meta-owned photo-sharing app has rolled out several new features to make its app safer for teens. This is coming ahead of Adam Mosseri’s Senate testimony this week.
Prominent among the new measures is “Take a Break;” a feature that will encourage you to take a break and to set reminders for the future. Teens will be notified to set reminders to make sure they are aware of the new feature. They will also see expert-backed tips to help them “reflect and reset,” Engadget reports.
The feature, which is expected to roll out in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia imminently, will make the platform a safe place for teens. Instagram will be rolling out tools for parents and guardians in March. These tools will give them a way to view how much time their kids are spending on the app and to set time limits.
Teens will have the option to notify their parents if they report someone. The tools will also serve to inform the adults in their life of the need to talk about issues.
One of the tools that will be available for teens on the app is one that allows them to bulk delete old photos and videos they posted when they were younger. The feature will be available to everyone by January, and will also allow them to delete old likes and comments.
From next year, Instagram will turn off the ability to tag or mention teens by adults who do not follow them. They will also not be able to include their content in Reels Remixes or Guides.
One a final note, Instagram is exploring the possibility of restricting the sensitive content teens see. This is so important especially when you consider that the social media giant is building an experience that would nudge users towards another topic if they have been scrolling one topic for a while.
We had reported in October that Instagram was planning to add new measures that will protect teenagers from harmful content. According to Facebook vice president of global affairs Nick Clegg, Instagram will also add a new measure to nudge teens to “take a break” from harmful content.
Clegg while speaking at CNN’s State of the Union, said the company is planning to introduce a measure that will “make a considerable difference.”
Recall that Facebook had pressed the pause button confirming that it will not go ahead with Instagram Kids. The social media giant made this known after fierce criticisms. In a statement, Instagram Head, Adam Mosseri said the company needs more time.
