For as long as social media has been around, parents have had concerns about its suitability for children and teenagers.Â
Every so often, concerns around child safety online get raised louder, usually started by an uptick in parent complaints or various lawsuits, which leads platforms to promise to do better. Parents and other groups' concerns tend to deal with the usage of potentially addictive algorithms increasing kids' screen time, the possibility of stranger contact and exploitation and the impact on teens' mental health, particularly around body image and self-harm.
"While social media can provide community and a sense of belonging, it can also lead to increased anxiety, pressure to present a 'perfect' image and a distorted view of reality that can impact mental health, especially for those already vulnerable to self-esteem issues," said Ann-Louise Lockhart, a pediatric psychologist and parent coach.
We've seen an uptick in concerns over the past few months. Roblox, a gaming platform primarily for kids, faced scrutiny over its insufficient protections against predators, and it responded with new parental controls and age restrictions. TikTok was recently sued by a group of state attorneys general alleging the video app is deliberately addictive and harmful for kids.Â
Character.AI, a popular platform that hosts AI chatbots, was recently sued by a Florida mom alleging that the platform is responsible for her son's suicide, saying one of its chatbots initiated "abusive and sexual interactions," according to an NBC report.Â
These issues aren't just exclusive to US families: Australia recently announced a proposal to ban social media for kids under the age of 16 after hundreds of organizations signed an open letter to the government outlining the dangers of social media for children. The US does have some legislation in this area, the biggest being the Kids Online Safety Act, but that bill isn't law and has faced criticism over censorship and surveillance concerns from organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Meta, owner of Instagram and Facebook, has been dealing with child safety concerns for years. Instagram is the second most popular social media app for teens, according to a 2024 industry report, with TikTok in first place. In September, Instagram announced it is transitioning accounts belonging to users under 16 years old to teen accounts, which come with a host of new protections and restrictions. Teen accounts automatically enable sensitive content restrictions and anti-bullying features, prohibit strangers from DMing them and let parents set screen time limits.
These changes were very specifically chosen, said Ravi Sinha, Meta's head of child safety policy, in an interview. The changes were based on feedback from many different groups, including parents, researchers, civil society groups, and, yes, some real-life teens on the youth advisory council of internet safety nonprofit Thorn.Â
"When we talk to parents, they tend to be concerned about the same things: Who is contacting their teen, what type of content their teen is seeing and how long they're spending online. And frankly, these are the same concerns that a lot of adults have about [social media]," said Sinha.
Parents react to Instagram teen accounts
Meta has been traveling around the country with its Screen Smart series, talking with parents, educators and community members about their concerns and the various safety tools available on Meta's social platforms. I attended one of these events, and it was clear from talking with other attendees that social media continues to be one of the most important and difficult decisions families have to make.Â
"There are upsides and downsides to social media," said Wimberley Earp, parent and content creator. "[Teens] connect with friends and learn things about their interests and hobbies. My teen is a soccer player and he spends time watching drills, soccer players and learning techniques. The downside is the time that can be spent on social media and the information [parents need] to filter out."
The default restrictions that come with Instagram teen accounts were a welcome change for many parents. Meta encouraged parents to think of Instagram teen accounts as a type of learner's permit -- an introduction to social media with adequate supervision -- something that "really resonated" with Ashley Pitt, a parent and blogger.Â
"It's clear that teens are interested in being on social media, and this is a way that parents can have a little bit more control over what their teens are accessing, as well as have visibility to how and who their teens are interacting with," said Pitt.
Instagram's teen accounts are a step in the right direction, said Lockhart, but parents should see it as step one in a longer process. "It's also essential to pair these efforts with ongoing conversations at home about what [teens] are experiencing on social media, so parents can reinforce these guidelines with their own boundaries."
Like any update, teen accounts aren't completely foolproof. Teens committed to escaping the restrictions can simply create a new adult account -- no age verification required. Meta is using new tech to actively sniff out accounts belonging to teens, using advanced facial-shape recognition tech and other online behavior cues (like someone tagging you in a post wishing you a happy 15th birthday). But no system is perfect. Age prediction at a global scale, like on Instagram, is very difficult, said Sinha.Â
Meta's goal is to set a strong foundation of protection and educate parents and teens about the risks of social media, like with its new anti-sextortion education campaign. But every family is different, which is one concern that educators brought up. It can be very challenging to regulate social media and internet usage in the classroom, particularly for students whose parents don't care or monitor their online activity.
At the end of the day, there are no quick fixes to untangle all the good social media can offer -- community, education, opportunity -- from all the potential threats. If one platform gets too restrictive, then teens will just find another one. While parents and kids waiting on these bigger changes, be it legislation, lawsuits or product updates, right now, Lockhart advises families to find a strategy that works for them and keep talking as things change as teens grow up.
"With open communication and clear boundaries, social media can become a tool for learning and connection rather than a source of stress or insecurity," said Lockhart.
For Earp, opening these lines of communication is essential. "It's so important to treat our kids with dignity, to communicate, discuss what's appropriate and give them the tools and support they need to make good decisions as they get older," said Earp.