Summary
Instagram will now send alerts to parents if their teens search repeatedly for suicide or self-harm content on the platform. This change is part of Meta's efforts to give parents more tools to monitor their children's activity to ensure safety, and it will roll out first in the UK, US, Australia, and Canada.
Key Facts
- Instagram will send alerts to parents if their teen frequently searches for self-harm or suicide-related terms.
- The feature will first be available to users in the UK, US, Australia, and Canada, with a global rollout planned later.
- Parents will receive these alerts via email, text, WhatsApp, or Instagram, depending on contact details.
- The Molly Rose Foundation criticizes the change, fearing it could harm more than help.
- Instagram will provide expert resources to help parents talk to their children about these issues.
- The alerts aim to notify parents of sudden changes in their teen's behavior.
- Meta says the alerts are based on analysis of user search patterns and may sometimes notify parents unnecessarily.
- Social media platforms are under pressure from governments to improve safety for young users.
