…New account grants parents full access to Teens account
Social technology company, Meta, has officially launched Teen Accounts on Instagram in Nigeria, introducing a range of new safety and privacy features tailored specifically for young users.
In a press statement made available to Nigerian NewsDirect, the company said the new update forms part of Meta’s broader commitment to fostering safe, private, and positive online experiences for teenagers across Africa.
“As more Nigerian teens join Instagram, it is crucial to prioritise their safety and privacy,” the statement read.
“Parents want to feel confident that their teens can use social media to connect with friends and explore their interests, without the risk of unsafe or inappropriate experiences.”
Meta explained that Teen Accounts are designed not only to support teenagers but also to provide parents with greater reassurance regarding their children’s online interactions.
“Teen Accounts have built-in protections that limit who can contact them and the content they see,” the company said.
“Teens in Nigeria will automatically be placed into Teen Accounts, and those under the age of 16 will require parental permission to adjust any of these settings to make them less strict.”
The company outlined the core features integrated into Teen Accounts to safeguard younger users:
Private Accounts: Teen accounts are set to private by default. Teens under 16 can only alter this setting with parental guidance.
Messaging Restrictions: Direct messages are limited to users the teen is already connected with.
Sensitive Content Control: Teen Accounts are configured to reduce the visibility of sensitive content in search results and in areas such as Explore, Feed, and Reels.
Limited Interactions: Only people the teen follows can tag or mention them. Additionally, Meta’s most robust anti-bullying tool, Hidden Words, is automatically enabled.
Time Limit Reminders: Teens will receive prompts to exit the app after 60 minutes of daily usage.
Sleep Mode: Automatically activated from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., this feature mutes notifications and sends automatic responses to direct messages overnight.
“We’re excited to bring these features to Nigeria and help families navigate online spaces safely,” said Sylvia Musalagani, Safety Policy Manager for Africa, the Middle East & Turkey (AMET) at Meta.
“Teen Accounts are designed to give parents peace of mind, allowing teens to connect with friends and explore interests without worrying about unsafe experiences.”
In addition to teen-facing protections, Meta is also introducing enhanced parental oversight tools. Parents will now have access to several key monitoring features, including:
View Interaction History: While message content remains private, parents can see a list of people their teen has interacted with via direct message in the past seven days.
Daily Time Limits: Parents can set a daily usage limit on Instagram. Once reached, the app becomes inaccessible for the remainder of the day.
Scheduled Downtime: Parents can block Instagram access during specific hours, such as bedtime, with a single tap.
Interest Insights: Parents can review the categories and topics their teens are engaging with, ensuring they remain within appropriate boundaries.
The launch of Teen Accounts is receiving support from national regulatory bodies. Barrister Emmanuel Edet, Director of the Regulations and Compliance Department at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said the policy aligns closely with the agency’s objectives.
“Meta’s new policy aligns with several core priorities outlined in NITDA’s strategic roadmap, particularly those relating to data privacy and protection for minors, now under the remit of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission,” he stated.
“It also supports efforts in child online protection and digital well-being, areas we have worked on collaboratively with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
“NITDA has been a long-standing advocate for child online safety through various national initiatives, including the proposed Online Harms Protection Bill, which addresses age verification and parental controls. This policy strengthens the case for age-appropriate digital experiences.”
To commemorate the launch, Meta hosted an exclusive event bringing together parents, policy stakeholders, content creators, teens, and media representatives. The event provided an opportunity to discuss and interact with the new safety tools in a collaborative environment.
Meta reiterated its commitment to building tools, resources, and partnerships that protect teens and foster safer online experiences for families in Nigeria.
