Meta imposes stricter Instagram rules for teens; India rollout soon

Meta, the parent company of Instagram, is rolling out stricter age-based restrictions to ensure safer social media use among children. The new rules, already in effect in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, will soon be implemented in India over the coming months.

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Aimed at curbing the negative effects of excessive social media use on teenagers, the initiative includes a host of parental control features. Teens under 18 will now need parental consent to open an Instagram account, with guardians having complete control over account settings.

Under the new guidelines, teenagers will be able to receive messages only from people they follow or have previously messaged. Messages from unknown users will be blocked. Additionally, Meta is introducing a daily usage limit—Instagram will function only for one hour a day on teen accounts. The app will also switch to “quiet mode” at night to encourage digital downtime.

Parental consent will be mandatory for teens wishing to join live streams or to unblur sensitive content, including pornographic images.

Meta said the move is part of its ongoing efforts to create a safe and responsible digital environment for young users. With rising concerns over children’s mental health linked to social media, the company believes these steps are essential.