In light of the recent issues regarding mental health relating to app usage, Instagram has finally launched its parental control feature called Family Center. This allows parents and guardians to supervise their children’s activities on the app and keep their experiences safe and healthy.
As a popular social media app, Instagram is known for having millions of active users but its fame can be a double-edged sword. It’s frequently criticized for quietly promoting more user engagement via its features. One of Instagram’s time management tools lost two options without a proper update announcement, for example. However, this new parental control feature aims to give back some user agency.
Instagram’s Family Center tool is actually a website section for parent company Meta’s apps. With it, parents can view their children’s app usage time, set time limits for them, be notified if their children report a user, and view updates on the accounts that they follow and are following them. Additionally, the feature offers resources from experts on parental control, social media, and how to talk to children and teens about such topics.
It’s currently available in the US and will roll out to other countries in the coming months. Instagram also plans to implement more features, like letting parents set specific hours during which their child can use the app and allowing more than one parent to supervise a child’s account. Plus, the website is expected to be integrated with other Meta apps in the future.
This announcement also included the app’s plans to roll out VR parental supervision tools on Oculus Quest headsets. Some of the updates include expanding the existing unlock pattern functionality to prevent younger users from accessing anything that isn’t age-appropriate and launching a Parent Dashboard to easily monitor a child’s account.
As sensitive issues become more widespread online, Meta continues to improve its apps and services in order to cater to everyone. Even older users are being protected through new features—such as Instagram live streams now having moderators in charge of curating the chatbox for offensive behavior. Let’s hope that such useful tools get even better over time.
Image credit: Instagram
Author: Monique Irish Casingal
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"en-US": "Monique Irish Casingal is a Filipina senior content writer specializing in video games and digital software. As a graduate of AB Literature and an avid gamer herself, she's had a previously short stint in delivering software-related industry news, and a currently even longer one in reviewing the latest trending games, new programs, and those old titles that people should give a shot.",
"es-ES": "Monique Irish Casingal es una senior content writer filipina especializada en videojuegos y software digital. Licenciada en Literatura y gamer empedernida, tuvo una breve etapa cubriendo noticias del sector del software y, desde entonces (durante mucho más tiempo), se dedica a analizar los últimos juegos en tendencia, programas nuevos y también esos clásicos que merecen una segunda oportunidad.",
"fr-FR": "Monique Irish Casingal est une rédactrice senior philippine spécialisée dans le jeu vidéo et les logiciels numériques. Diplômée en lettres et joueuse passionnée, elle a d’abord brièvement couvert l’actualité de l’industrie logicielle, avant de passer plus durablement à la critique des jeux tendance du moment, des nouveaux programmes et de ces titres plus anciens qui méritent qu’on leur donne une chance.",
"it-IT": "Monique Irish Casingal è una senior content writer filippina specializzata in videogiochi e software digitale. Laureata in Letteratura e gamer appassionata, ha avuto una breve esperienza nel raccontare notizie dell’industria software e, da allora (per molto più tempo), si dedica a recensire i giochi del momento, i nuovi programmi e anche quei titoli più datati che vale la pena riscoprire.",
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"nl-NL": "Monique Irish Casingal is een Filipijnse senior content writer die zich richt op videogames en digitale software. Als afgestudeerde in Literatuurwetenschap en zelf een fanatieke gamer had ze eerder een korte periode waarin ze nieuws over de software-industrie bracht, en inmiddels een veel langere waarin ze de nieuwste trending games, nieuwe programma’s en ook oudere titels recenseert die mensen echt eens een kans moeten geven.",
"pl-PL": "Monique Irish Casingal to filipińska starsza autorka treści specjalizująca się w grach wideo i oprogramowaniu cyfrowym. Jest absolwentką filologii/literatury i zapaloną gamer-ką. Ma za sobą krótki epizod w tworzeniu newsów z branży software, a obecnie znacznie dłuższy – w recenzowaniu najnowszych, popularnych gier, nowych programów oraz starszych tytułów, którym warto dać szansę.",
"pt-BR": "Monique Irish Casingal é uma senior content writer filipina especializada em videogames e software digital. Formada em Literatura e gamer de carteirinha, ela teve uma breve passagem cobrindo notícias da indústria de software e, desde então (por muito mais tempo), vem se dedicando a analisar os jogos em alta, novos programas e também aqueles títulos antigos que merecem uma chance.",
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