Instagram today announced new tools and resources designed to support parents, guardians and teens on the platform. The tools and resources are now available across the Middle East and North African (MENA) region.  

The new suite of supervision tools will allow parents and guardians to: 

● Send their teen an invitation to supervise their account, or accept an invitation from their teen

● See how long their teen is spending on Instagram each day, and set daily limits 

● Schedule breaks for specific times during the day

● See who their teen follows and who follows them 

● Be notified when their teen chooses to share they have reported an account or post, including who was reported and the type of content

Support Teens’ Time on Instagram

Teens will now see a notification that encourages them to switch to a different topic if they are repeatedly looking at the same type of content on Explore. This nudge is designed to encourage teens to discover something new and excludes certain topics that may be associated with appearance comparison.

Instagram designed the new feature because research suggests that nudges can be effective for helping people — especially teens — be more mindful of how they are using social media in the moment. In a study on the effects of nudges on social media use, 58.2% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that nudges made their social media experience better by helping them become more mindful of their time on-platform. Instagram’s own research shows they are working too: during a one-week testing period, one in five teens who saw the platform’s new nudges switched to a different topic. While it is currently a test, the feature will be rolled out fully soon.

Additionally, the Take a Break feature reminds people to take time off Instagram. Instagram initially sent teens a notification to turn on the feature when they would be scrolling in Explore; now, the platform will also send teens reminders to 'Take a Break' when they have been scrolling in Reels.

Expert-backed Resources

Parents in the MENA region and around the world will be able to visit Meta’s Family Centre, which contains expert-backed resources to help teens and their parents navigate the digital world. Instagram expanded the content available in the Family Center education hub to include additional resources from more youth experts on topics related to digital wellness, safety and privacy, relationships and communication, and media literacy. These articles also give parents helpful tips on how to talk to teens about different online topics such as connecting safely with others and how to be more self-aware online. Instagram will continue working with experts and organizations to make even more resources for parents and guardians available.

Building Safe Experiences and Products for Teens

Instagram recently published more details on the framework the company uses as it develops features for young people. This process was created to help Instagram apply the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in its product development. The framework guides all Meta’s teams on how to apply this standard throughout the development of digital experiences for under 18s. Instagram has designed all of its new features with the input of teens, parents, experts, and policymakers, and will continue to work collaboratively to meet the needs of young people on the app.

All the above features are included in the MENA Parents Guide, which was designed to help parents support their teens on Instagram and navigate difficult conversations about time spent online. It also provides an overview of the tools parents and teens can access to ensure a safer experience on Instagram. You can access the full guide here.