eSAFETY GUIDE
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Instagram

13+
Minimum age according to Instagram
13+ Minimum age according to Instagram

What is Instagram?

Instagram is a social media service owned by Meta designed for people to share photos and videos. You can upload and share photos, images or videos using a range of overlay and filter effects. Instagram ‘Stories’ allows you to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.

You can follow other profiles so they appear in your feed and your profile can also be followed by them. You can like and comment on each other’s posts. Instagram has additional settings that allow you to moderate these comments (such as keyword blocking) and control if other people or accounts tag you. These functions are available on individuals' Instagram accounts and if you manage an Instagram account for your organisation or business. You can also create a 'Close Friends' list so you can choose to share content with a select group of friends.

The app features direct messaging and video calling. You can also start a chat with Meta AI, an artificial intelligence chatbot that can answer questions and search the internet.

According to Instagram the ‘friend map’ live location display, now in testing with a limited number of users, allows you to share your location with your ‘Close Friends’ list or with your mutual follows. This allows your friends to see where you are and where you have been in any posts or stories that you tag with a location and add to the display map. 

Instagram’s ‘Teen Accounts’ are automatically applied to users aged 13 to 17. They have built-in limits on who can contact them and the content they see. 

According to Instagram, ‘sensitive content’ is filtered out from accounts teens don’t follow and they can only be messaged or tagged by people they follow or are already connected to. Offensive words and phrases are also filtered out of comments and message requests. Teens will also get notifications telling them to leave the app after 60 minutes each day. Teen accounts are set to private by default for teens under 16 already on Instagram and teens under 18 when they sign up, meaning they need to accept new followers. Teen accounts allow parents and carers to set daily time limits on the use of the app and see the accounts their children message and the content categories they view. Teens under 16 need their parent’s or guardian’s permission to change safety and privacy settings.
 

Website: www.instagram.com

Apps: Android app, Apple iOS app

How do people use Instagram?

Learn more about the benefits and risks associated with how people use image and video sharing services like Instagram.

Instagram is used for: content sharing, location sharing, messaging/online chat, photo/video sharing, online relationships, screen capture and video calling. 

How can you report online abuse, ask for content to be removed or block someone?

These links are provided by Instagram:

How can you moderate comments and tagging?

These links are provided by Instagram:

How can you protect your personal information?

These links are provided by Instagram:

  • Privacy settings 
    Learn how to make your profile as secure as possible.
  • Controlling your visibility 
    Manage who can see your profile information and images you share on Instagram.
  • Create a 'Close Friends' list
    Create a list of close friends so you can choose to share content with a select group of people.
  • Privacy policy 
    Outlines Instagram’s privacy policy including the information they collect and how they use your data. 
  • Ads on Instagram
    Learn about how Instagram decides on ads to show in your feed, how to adjust your preferences and what to do if you see an ad you don't like.
  • Meta AI chat history
    See or download your Meta AI chat history and learn more about the type of information Meta collects and how it uses this data.

Key safety links

These links are provided by Instagram:

Last updated: 26/09/2024

The eSafety Guide helps you find out how to protect your personal information and report harmful content on common social media, games, apps and sites. Entries are for information only and are not reviews or endorsements by eSafety. Before choosing to use any online service or platform it’s best to:

  • do your own research to understand the risks and benefits
  • check the age rating and requirements
  • consider privacy
  • check the permissions and other settings
  • check the in-app reporting options.

If you are a parent or carer who is deciding whether a child should be allowed to use an online service or platform, you can also:

  • consider your child's readiness for the types of content and experiences they might encounter
  • help them understand what to do if they need help
  • provide ongoing support and monitoring, for example through regular check-ins with your child
  • agree to some rules about use of each service or platform.

To find out more, you can read the App checklist for parents, as well as information about parental controls in social media, games and apps and mental wellbeing resources for families.