Instagram, facing pressure over child safety online, unveils sweeping changes

Amid intensifying public pressure, Instagram has unveiled a sweeping overhaul to beef up privacy and limit social media’s intrusive effects for users who are younger than 18. — The New York Times

SAN FRANCISCO: Instagram unveiled a sweeping overhaul on Sept 17 to beef up privacy and limit social media’s intrusive effects for users who are younger than 18, as the app faces intensifying pressure over children’s safety online.

Instagram said the accounts of users younger than 18 will be made private by default in the coming weeks, which means that only followers approved by an account-holder may see their posts. The app, owned by Meta, also plans to stop notifications to minors from 10pm to 7am to promote sleep. In addition, Instagram will introduce more supervision tools for adults, including a feature that allows parents to see the accounts their teenager recently messaged.