SINGAPORE: Starting today, Jan 21, Instagram will have more restrictive settings for Singapore users under 18 as part of a global effort to clean up accounts where users lied about their age and to make the platform safer for younger users. The Straits Times reported that in Instagram’s Teen Account settings, users suspected to be underage will need to prove their age by submitting a photo identification or a video selfie.
If users cannot verify their age, Instagram will automatically make their profiles invisible to strangers. It will only allow messages from people they follow and block sensitive content like violent videos or cosmetic procedure promotions. Videos of fights, cosmetic procedures, violent movie scenes, and other sensitive content will also be removed from teen feeds.
This move follows actions by the United States and Britain to protect young users from addiction, cyberbullying, and harmful content.
In 2023, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, faced criticism after a group of US state attorneys accused the company of exploiting children on its apps without addressing the associated risks.
Tara Hopkins, Meta’s Global Director of Public Policy for Instagram and Threads, explained that these changes will greatly impact users’ experience on the app. She said the aim is to assure parents that their children are safe online as Instagram moves away from relying solely on age declarations as the main way of telling a user’s age.
Instagram’s age verification process relies on real-time facial recognition technology developed by tech company Yoti. While Ms Hopkins admitted the technology isn’t perfect, she believes it is the best available. She added that Meta could also check other social media accounts tied to a user’s phone number or email, though details were not shared to prevent users from finding ways to bypass the system.
Meta is also working on technology that can spot users who may have lied about their age by analysing profile pictures and follower demographics, among other factors. For example, accounts claiming to be adults but with many teen followers could be flagged for verification. This feature is expected to be tested in the US first before expanding to other countries.
In 2021, other social media platforms, like TikTok, have also conducted similar cleanups, with TikTok removing over 7.2 million suspected underage accounts.
Ms Hopkins said that measures against cyberbullying, violent, sexual, and other harmful content remain in place despite Meta reducing content moderation on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.
Parents can link their accounts with their children to gradually adjust restrictions. Teens under 16 will need parental approval to change privacy settings, while those aged 16 to 18 can opt out of restrictions for more autonomy based on parental feedback. Teenagers who update their age in their profile could be asked to verify it by submitting an ID or completing an age screening.
Parents can also set up a teen supervision account with their child’s consent for greater oversight, allowing them to monitor how much time their teen spends on Instagram.
Parents can set screen time limits, send reminders to encourage breaks and see the profiles of people their child has interacted with, including those they’ve blocked. However, they will not be able to view the content of messages.
Ms Hopkins addressed concerns about privacy, saying, “We think we have the right balance. The objective here is to give parents information to have an offline conversation with their teen.” /TISG
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