Instagram launches parental controls after mental health criticism

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Instagram launches parental controls after mental health criticism

By Nick Bonyhady

Parents will be able to limit the amount of time their children spend on Instagram, see follower lists and be notified about inappropriate behaviour reports in a suite of changes the social media service is implementing on Wednesday.

The move follows sustained criticism of Instagram and its parent company, Meta, from activists, regulators and politicians that was elevated by the leak of internal documents suggesting Instagram was bad for teenage girls’ self-esteem late last year.

Whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Australian MPs not to trust Meta’s promises of reform last year.

Whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Australian MPs not to trust Meta’s promises of reform last year.Credit:AP

Meta disputed many of the claims by whistleblower Frances Haugen at the time, but Wednesday’s changes go some distance toward addressing one of her primary concerns: that teens’ mental health was spiralling down as they scrolled through feeds on Instagram filled with images of people seemingly better looking and happier than them.

Meta regional public policy director Mia Garlick said the changes were not a response to Haugen’s criticism but instead part of the company’s long-term work to protect young people by starting conversations within families, while also respecting their autonomy.

“A lot of people value the role of social media, particularly keeping people connected during the pandemic, but where it starts interfere with doing homework or doing chores,” Garlick said. “That’s when people have concerns.”

Either a parent or child (the minimum age allowed on Instagram is 13) can request to set up the parental supervision tools, but it does not work unless both agree.

Meta’s public policy boss Mia Garlick said the changes would help keep Instagram users safe.

Meta’s public policy boss Mia Garlick said the changes would help keep Instagram users safe. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Once the arrangement is running, parents will be able to set screen-time limits of between 15 minutes and two hours and schedule breaks.

“So you could, for example, set [Instagram] to only be available on the weekends or blocked during school hours,” Garlick said.

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Parents will also be able to see who is following their child and who their child is following. If the teen reports inappropriate behaviour on Instagram, they can also notify their parent via the app.

The changes were made available in the United States in March but Garlick said the Australian launch date was determined by a need to consult with local experts and regulators.

Two other changes operate without the need for parental involvement. Teens will get nudges to encourage them to view other posts if they are obsessively viewing images of one kind and, if they have been watching short form videos called Reels for lengthy periods, reminders to turn on a feature that encourages them to periodically close the app. The user can ignore those prompts.

A new online toolkit will also include material from anti-bullying, body image and mental health groups PROJECT ROCKIT, ReachOut and Butterfly.

ROCKIT’s co-founder Lucy Thomas said in a statement that Instagram had taken a “pivotal step” that would help parents help their children.

Chris Cooper, the executive director of Reset Australia and a critic of social media’s treatment of children, said Meta had not made significant changes globally that would make its platform safe for young girls following Haugen’s testimony.

“The changes that do need to be made would affect the business model and profit [of Meta],” Cooper said – adding, for example, algorithmic changes to avoid amplifying harmful content that could encourage things such as disordered eating.

He spoke in general terms because Meta had not made its changes public.

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Garlick said Instagram had made other changes to manage those concerns, such as limits on some types of body image content, partnerships with NGOs, and options for users to hide how many people had ‘liked’ a post.

Haugen, the whistleblower, told Australian MPs late last year to be cynical of promises by Facebook to reform and address its problems. Part of her criticism of the company was that, in her view, it was aware of its negative impact on teen girls but did not change its practices.

“It is simply not accurate that this research demonstrates Instagram is ‘toxic’ for teen girls,” the company said in a statement at the time.

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