‘Meta’s Teen Accounts Makes Instagram Safer For Under-16 Users’

In a major step towards online child protection, Meta has introduced Teen Accounts on Instagram in Nigeria, with a range of built-in safety features designed specifically for users under 16.

For Nigerian parents concerned about their teenagers’ experiences on social media, the new Teen Accounts offer a practical solution, combining privacy controls, content filters, and supervision tools to create a safer digital environment.

With the growing popularity of Instagram among young Nigerians, many parents have found themselves walking a tightrope: allowing teens to explore and connect online while worrying about cyberbullying, unsolicited messages, and exposure to inappropriate content. Meta’s Teen Accounts aim to ease those concerns by automatically applying age-appropriate safety settings that cannot be altered without parental permission.

Meta’s safety policy manager, Africa, Middle East & Turkey (AMET), Sylvia Musalagani, while speaking to journalists at a stakeholder event in Lagos, said the company is excited to bring these features to Nigeria and help families navigate online spaces safely.

“Teen Accounts are designed to give parents peace of mind, allowing teens to connect with friends and explore interests without worrying about unsafe experiences,” he said.

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Here’s what Nigerian parents need to know about how Teen Accounts work:

All Teen Accounts are automatically set to private, ensuring that only approved followers can view posts or stories; Teens can only receive direct messages from people they already follow, cutting out strangers and potential predators and Instagram reduces the visibility of sensitive or inappropriate content in Explore, Reels, Feed, and search results.

Only users that teens follow can tag or mention them, while the Hidden Words anti-bullying filter is switched on by default to block offensive comments and DMs; Usage Time Limits: After 60 minutes of daily use, teens are prompted to log off, encouraging healthier screen time habits and sleep mode which is from 10 PM to 7 AM. During these hours, all notifications are muted, and the app sends automatic replies to DMs, promoting rest and limiting late-night scrolling. Importantly, these protections cannot be loosened unless the teen has parental approval, making it harder for young users to bypass safety settings.

In addition to automatic safety settings, Meta has also rolled out enhanced supervision tools that empower parents to take a more active role in their teen’s Instagram use. These tools allow parents to see who their teen has interacted with over the past seven days; Set daily time limits on Instagram use, after which the app becomes inaccessible until the next day; Schedule app downtime, blocking access during specific hours such as bedtime or study time and view the topics and interests their teen is exploring to ensure they’re engaging with age-appropriate content.

These features are designed to strike a balance between teens’ need for autonomy and parents’ desire for oversight, giving families more confidence in managing digital activity together.

The move has been welcomed by Nigeria’s digital regulators. For instance, the director of Regulations and Compliance at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA),  Barr. Emmanuel Edet, praised the initiative for aligning with national efforts to enhance child online protection.

“Meta’s new policy aligns with several core priorities outlined in NITDA’s strategic roadmap, particularly concerning data privacy and protection for minors, now under the purview of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission, and child online protection and digital well-being, which we have collaboratively addressed with our sister agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission.

“NITDA has been a strong advocate for child online protection through various initiatives, including national strategies and proposed legislation, such as the Online Harms Protection Bill, which addresses age verification and parental controls. This policy reinforces the need for age-appropriate online experiences and promotes digital well-being,” Edet averred.

To introduce the new Teen Accounts, Meta hosted a launch event in Nigeria, bringing together parents, teens, content creators, policymakers, and civil society organisations to explore the new features and discuss how to create safer digital spaces.

Parents who attended the event expressed appreciation for Meta’s proactive approach, but also called for more education and outreach to help families better understand and use the available tools.

For Nigerian parents who often feel overwhelmed by the fast pace of online trends and the hidden risks of social media, Meta’s Teen Accounts offer a much-needed layer of support. By defaulting to safety and making supervision easier, the new features aim to give families more peace of mind in the digital age.

As Meta continues to evolve its platforms, the company says it is committed to working closely with Nigerian stakeholders to improve digital safety tools and promote healthy, age-appropriate experiences for all young users.