Instagram is looking to set a new precedent with some upcoming changes to the app set to protect the youth.
The platform made a move to automatically set all new accounts for users 16-and-under to private.
Instagram noted the move was made to create a more “safe and private” space. Via a blog post that went up earlier this week, the social media app said, “Wherever we can, we want to stop young people from hearing from adults they don’t know, or that they don’t want to hear from.
We believe private accounts are the best way to prevent this from happening.”
The setting previously had new accounts defaulting to “public,” with people being able to search the profile. Now, the latest update from IG will make automatically make accounts private for people under 16 and 18 in some countries. That is until they make the change in their settings.
Instagram noted that minors will still have the complete choice to make their accounts open to the public, saying, “We still give young people the choice to switch to a public account or keep their current account public if they wish.”
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