Will be private accounts: protection for minors on Instagram.

Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has taken a firm step in protecting minors on its platform, and is about to change the game for teens worldwide. Starting this year, all teenagers will be automatically placed in private accounts, regardless of whether they try to lie about their age. This initiative is one of the biggest and most ambitious Meta has launched to date, marking a crucial milestone in child safety on social media. If you’ve ever wondered how big platforms deal with the risks associated with underage users, this is the article you need to read.

Meta bets on teen privacy

Meta’s announcement is not an isolated measure; it’s the result of years of criticism and pressure on how social media impacts the lives of teenagers. Aimed at making Instagram a safer space, the company has decided to implement new “teen accounts” that will automatically have stricter privacy and security settings. But what makes this measure truly interesting is that it also targets those teens who may attempt to lie about their age.

Measure	Description
Private accounts	Teens can only be contacted by people they already follow.
Hidden words	Offensive words and phrases will be automatically filtered out of comments and direct messages.
Parental controls	Parents will be able to supervise certain interactions without accessing actual conversations.

More effective parental control

Meta has also listened to parents’ concerns, who have been asking for simpler and more effective tools to monitor their children’s online activity. Naomi Gleit, Meta’s head of product, confirmed that one of the main goals of this update is precisely to make supervision tools more accessible and consistent. “We’ve received a lot of feedback from parents about the need for more effective and easy-to-use controls,” Gleit said.

But the question many are asking is: How will this new technology work to identify teens who try to bypass the rules? Meta has not only integrated preset restrictions but also developed AI tools designed to predict users’ real age, even if they lied when creating their accounts.

Technology used	Main function
Artificial intelligence	Detect whether users lied about their age.
*Age verification*	Users will be asked for a video selfie or government ID.
Multi-device control	Meta will detect if teens try to create accounts on other devices.

Meta leaves no loose ends

The use of age prediction technology is one of the most interesting aspects of this initiative. Meta is utilizing a combination of behavioral signals, such as interactions and the type of content users follow, to determine if they are really over 18. This represents a giant leap for online safety, as it limits minors’ attempts to bypass restrictions.

While some may argue that teens will always find ways to evade these controls, Meta has anticipated scenarios where they might try to register new accounts with false information or different devices. According to Gleit, in such cases, Meta will request additional verifications and take steps to link accounts to the original devices used.

Furthermore, for teens who already have Instagram accounts, the transition to this new system will not be immediate. Meta plans to roll out these private accounts gradually, with the goal of including all users under 18 in this category by next year.

User opinions: A necessary step or too much control?

The MundoVirtual community has mixed opinions about these measures. Some parents applaud the initiative, arguing that their children’s online safety is an absolute priority, and that these tools will allow them to feel more at ease. “I’ve always felt I didn’t have enough control over what my kids see on Instagram,” commented one user. “With these new tools, I’ll be able to monitor their activity without invading their privacy.”

On the other hand, some teens express concerns about losing autonomy. “I understand it’s to protect us, but I’m worried that they’re taking away our freedom to decide,” said a 17-year-old. The question here is: Are we overprotecting or simply offering a safer environment?

Parents’ opinions	Teens’ opinions
More control and peace of mind	Concern about losing autonomy.
Easier-to-use tools	Distrust toward supervision.

The MundoVirtual perspective

From our perspective at MundoVirtual, this is a logical and necessary step in adapting social media to the realities of today’s digital world. Online child safety has been a topic of debate for years, and although Meta has previously launched some tools, the inconsistent implementation has drawn criticism. With this new initiative, the company seems to be taking a more uniform and structured approach.

The combination of artificial intelligence, improved parental controls, and default privacy settings is a clear indication that Meta is learning from its past mistakes. However, it remains to be seen whether these measures will be enough to address the complex safety issues faced by teens online.

In conclusion, Meta seems to be heading in the right direction by creating an environment where parents have more control and teens can interact more safely. But is this enough? Only time will tell if these tools strike the right balance between safety and freedom.

Don’t miss out on what’s coming next. Subscribe to our social networks and visit MundoVirtual to stay up to date on the digital world’s latest trends!

What do you think of these new measures? Join the conversation and share your thoughts with us.