Instagram's 'teen account,' introduced to protect adolescents, will be implemented in South Korea starting from the 22nd. This account includes features that limit usage time for teens and block exposure to inappropriate content.
Instagram noted that the global rollout of the teen account began on the 21st, based on Pacific Standard Time, and will be gradually applied from the morning of the 22nd, Korean time. The feature, which was first introduced in the United States and Australia last year, is expected to be fully implemented in all countries by the end of the first half of this year.
The teen account will be set to private by default for users aged 14 to 18. New accounts will also be set to private. Message exchange will be allowed only among users who follow each other, and viewing violent or sensitive content will be restricted. If usage time exceeds 60 minutes, an app exit notification will appear, and notifications will be disabled from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with automatic replies sent to direct messages.
Parental control features have also been significantly enhanced. Parents can verify and limit their children's conversation partners and app usage times. Notably, users aged 14 to 16 cannot switch their accounts to public without parental consent, while those 17 and older can choose to set their accounts to public.
Instagram plans to hold a domestic briefing on February 11, in conjunction with 'Safer Internet Day,' to announce detailed information about the teen account.
The issue of adolescents' exposure on social media is emerging as a global concern. Australia passed a bill last year prohibiting social media use for those under 16 without parental consent, while Norway is considering raising the minimum age for social media usage from 13 to 15.