Instagram Teen Accounts

Written By Alicia Vial

The social media platform Meta has been running ads touting the safety importance of Instagram Teen accounts, so what are these exactly?

Instagram’s Teen Accounts feature was launched in the fall of 2024 and is one of Meta’s biggest efforts to date to bolster safety for its youngest users. The new accounts, automatically assigned to any new users under the age of 18, place limits on what users can see, who can message and interact with them and enables parents to exercise more control over their teens’ social media use.  

Instagram has been rolling out Teen Accounts since January. If a teen user already has a public account (under 18) Instagram sends notifications recommending they switch to private. Instagram also applies extra safety settings even if their account stays public. Current teen users do get the protections, but new users get a more private experience by default. 

The controls include: 

  • Who can message your teen 

  • Inappropriate content restrictions – the content that is viewable via the Teen Account is filtered by the most stringent settings, hiding content classified as “sensitive” even when shared by someone they follow. The accounts also notify the app not to suggest anything marked as potentially sensitive to teen accounts in the first place. 

  • Automatic private accounts for users under 16 

  • Time limits that are set by parents  

  • Less targeted ads 

Account creators will be asked to verify their age using ID and additional verification steps. If a teen attempts to update their birthday from a younger age to an older age, the platform requires proof of age with an ID check. Further steps will include using information about a teen’s original account to prevent them from using a new account with an adult age. Instagram is also working on an AI model that can detect if someone is likely to be underage even if they put an adult birthday in the account at signup.  

It’s important for parents to monitor their teen’s social media use for a number of reasons: 

  • Safety from online predators 

  • Cyberbullying awareness 

  • Mental health protection 

  • Setting boundaries and teaching responsibility  

  • Reputation management 

  • Open communication 

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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