FOR THE WEEK OF SEP. 23, 2024
Sweeping overhaul of Instagram aims at making it safer for users under 18
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If you enjoy Instagram, get set for big changes affecting minors on that popular platform. Users aged 13-17 will have their accounts made private by default, which means only approved followers can see their posts or tag them. They'll also see less “sensitive” content -- such as offensive words, fights and cosmetic procedures -- and won't get notifications from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Teens on the app for more than an hour will get a recommendation to take a break. Parents can use a supervision tool to see what topics their teens view and which accounts they message. Adults also can block teens' Instagram use after a set amount of time, or within certain hours.
The goal is to reduce risks of depression, anxiety, body-image issues and even thoughts of suicide. The changes will affect more than 100 million users worldwide. Nearly half of Americans between 13 and 17 use Instagram at least once a day, according to a Pew Research survey last fall. It's the fourth most popular social network among young people in America, after YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat.
Concerns have existed for years about the effects of wide-open, unsupervised social-media use on young people. Meta, the giant California company that owns Instagram, Facebook, Threads and WhatsApp, faces a wave of lawsuits claiming that its platforms keep young people addicted while feeding them harmful content. Parents groups, mental health specialists and some state officials say that Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other apps expose children and teens to bullying, pedophiles, sexual extortion and content promoting self-harm and eating disorders. Earlier this year, Meta began blocking content for teens that involved self-harm, eating disorders and nudity. At a congressional hearing in January, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg apologized to parents of kids who died of causes related to social media, such as suicide following online harassment. In June, the U.S. Surgeon General called for tobacco-like labels on social media to warn of potential mental health risks.
To keep teens from lying about their age to evade the changes, Insta will require users to verify their age in new ways, such as via a government ID or facial scan of a video selfie. Users who are 16 and 17 years can restore their preferred settings, but 13- to 15-year-old users need parental approval to do that. The changes took effect last week for new accounts and are rolling out over two months for existing teen accounts in the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia. Minors in other countries could see the changes starting in January. It plans to put other apps under similar new rules in coming months.
Instagram says: "We think we've found a decent balance between safety and privacy, but I'm sure we're going to get a bunch of feedback." – Adam Mosseri, top executive at the platform
Activist says: "These are long-overdue features that Instagram should have put in place years ago to keep young people safe online. They're only acting now because they're under pressure from lawmakers, advocates and a groundswell of public opinion." – Jim Steyer, founder of Common Sense Media, a children's advocacy group in San Francisco
State official says: "Under intense pressure from law enforcement, parents, educators and public health professionals, Meta is doing the very least it can do to look like it is doing something. I sincerely hope that these changes help because our kids are hurting, but I'm skeptical." – William Tong, Connecticut attorney general
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Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.