Faizel Patel – 16/03/2021
Facebook owned Instagram says it is adding safety measures designed to protect teenagers from unwanted direct messages from adults.
In a blog post, Instagram says when an adult tries to message a teen who does not follow them, they receive a notification that DM’ing them is not an option.
Instagram says the feature relies on their work to predict peoples’ ages using machine-learning technology, and the age users provide when they sign up.
“Around the world it’s widely understood that most social media platforms require a 13-year minimum age requirement, but the complexity of age verification remains a long-standing, industry-wide challenge. That’s why it’s positive to see Instagram investing in innovative technologies that can and will create a safer online environment for younger users.”
Instagram says having a private account offers more protections for teens as they can better control who can see and interact with their content.
“If the teen doesn’t choose ‘private’ when signing up, we send them a notification later on highlighting the benefits of a private account and reminding them to check their settings.”
Instagram says it is assessing additional measures to protect young people on the platform.
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