Under-16 Instagram users to be barred from livestreaming without parental consent

ISTANBUL

US-based Meta – the tech company behind Facebook and Instagram, among others – announced Tuesday that users under the age of 16 will no longer will be able to use the livestream feature without parental permission.

Under updates to the Teen Accounts feature on Instagram, users younger than 16 will also no longer be able to disable the "automatic blurring" feature in private messages, said a statement by Meta.

The Teen Accounts feature will be expanded to Facebook and Messenger, it added.

The updates will first be tested in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia in the coming months.

Instagram introduced the Teen Accounts feature last September, aimed at limiting the use of the platform by minors and teenagers and enhancing safety measures.

The moves come amid a push in many countries to limit or ban social media use under a certain age, with research pointing to the dangers of social media use by young minds.

ISTANBUL

Under updates to the Teen Accounts feature on Instagram, users younger than 16 will also no longer be able to disable the "automatic blurring" feature in private messages, said a statement by Meta.

The Teen Accounts feature will be expanded to Facebook and Messenger, it added.

The updates will first be tested in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia in the coming months.

Instagram introduced the Teen Accounts feature last September, aimed at limiting the use of the platform by minors and teenagers and enhancing safety measures.

The moves come amid a push in many countries to limit or ban social media use under a certain age, with research pointing to the dangers of social media use by young minds.