Instagram is now asking teens under 16 years old to change their content settings on the app, and the company is rolling out push messages to remind youngsters to limit sensitive content on their feeds. It is a way for Instagram to focus on content moderation and to protect teenagers from their daily consumption of media from the platform.
Instagram Asks Teens to Limit Sensitive Content from Their Feed
(Photo : Instagram Official Blog)
According to an update by Instagram, the company is giving the public a chance to control their feed's content, especially regarding the sensitive information found circulating online. The main focus of this new update is on teenagers, who hold a significant number of the company's user base, limiting sensitive content from appearing on their feed.
The company is primarily offering this for Instagram accounts that have users under 16 years of age, and while they can still access the platform for all its experiences, it will suggest limiting the sensitive content found online.
A push message will appear on their feed upon opening the app, and it will ask them to change their content moderation in the Settings, mainly focusing on limiting the sensitive media from accounts they do not follow.
Instagram and its Content Moderation for Teens
According to The Verge, this new algorithm will heavily sensor sensitive content from appearing not only in their feeds but also among stories, hashtags, searches, and more. It will help the company and the teenage users avoid significant effects on their mental health state, especially as Instagram is a massive platform that teenagers use to consume content.
Instagram's Content for Teens
There has been a significant dispute between Instagram and Meta regarding how their application and experience affect that of teenagers, especially with a whistleblower that claimed it affects the youth gravely on their use. Mental health issues are one of the disputes that Meta faced before, with claims regarding its effect on teenagers who use the platform.
The case was a prominent suit against the social media company, which rocked its core and its public image as there were harsh claims against its operations. The allegations on Instagram disregarding teenagers' mental health were previously presented in court, and it brought a massive spotlight on Meta and Instagram regarding their content moderation.
Still, the company is aiming to change this in its recent updates, along with previous releases for social media.
Now, the company is focusing on the way to limit sensitive content that is available on the feed, and instead of showing it to their browsing with all its covers and warnings, Instagram wants to protect them further by limiting it. The new settings are also applicable for other users that want to avoid sensitive content on their feed for safer use of the application.
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Written by Isaiah Richard
