Under-16 Instagram users to be barred from livestreaming without parental consent
US-based Meta – the tech company behind Facebook and Instagram, among others – announced Tuesday that users under the age of 16 will no longer will be able to use the livestream feature without parental permission, Anadolu Agency reports.
Under updates to the Teen Accounts feature on Instagram, users younger than 16 will also no longer be able to disable the "automatic blurring" feature in private messages, said a statement by Meta.
The Teen Accounts feature will be expanded to Facebook and Messenger, it added.
The updates will first be tested in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia in the coming months.
Instagram introduced the Teen Accounts feature last September, aimed at limiting the use of the platform by minors and teenagers and enhancing safety measures.
The moves come amid a push in many countries to limit or ban social media use under a certain age, with research pointing to the dangers of social media use by young minds.
As written before, following Australia’s landmark decision to ban social media for children under 16, several countries are contemplating similar restrictions, as the move has ignited widespread debates about the impact of social media on children’s mental health and development. Last November, Australia became the first country in the world to enforce such a ban, seen as the strictest measure implemented anywhere so far, which will take effect at the end of next year.
