Instagram's age verification 'won't make a blind bit of difference', warns former Government adviser
3 years, 4 months ago

Instagram's age verification 'won't make a blind bit of difference', warns former Government adviser

The Telegraph  

Instagram's plans to ask users to verify their ages "won't make a blind bit of difference", a former Government adviser has warned. Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Carr, a child online safety expert who sat on the Government’s UK Council for Child Internet Safety panel, said: “Many social media have been doing that for years and it hasn’t made a blind bit of difference, because kids are smart and can lie. This week, the UK’s data regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office, will get new powers to fine tech companies billions if they are found to misuse children’s information to target them with inappropriate material and adverts. Plans for robust checks Meanwhile, the Government has asked the UK’s Children’s Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza to draw up plans for robust online age checks, potentially using bio-metrics and passports.

Age Instagram Users  users  systems  wont  instagrams  verification  thing  adviser  blind  underage  birth  bit  using  warns  uks  difference  age  asking  children

History of this topic

Tens of thousands of teens lying about their age on social media to beat safeguards
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Tens of thousands of teens lying about their age on social media to beat safeguards

The Telegraph  

The majority of children using social media apps are hiding their true age to access features meant for adults and teenagers, official research has revealed. Most under-18s using apps such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat have entered fake dates of birth to appear older than their real age, according to Ofcom. The figures outline the scale of children bypassing age …

Australia won’t force social media users to share their personal details when child ban takes effect
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Australia won’t force social media users to share their personal details when child ban takes effect

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia’s communications minister said Wednesday the government won’t force social media users to hand over their personal information to tech companies, as children younger than 16 are set to be banned from the platforms. Rowland told Parliament on Wednesday the legislation will contain “robust provisions” to protect social media users’ privacy. Age Check Certification Scheme’s chief executive …

Meta's AI-Powered Tool to Detect Lies About Age on Instagram
2 months ago

Meta's AI-Powered Tool to Detect Lies About Age on Instagram

India Today  

Meta's new AI tool, the 'adult classifier,' will analyze users' online behaviors and profile information to verify their age. It automatically switches users under 18 to 'teen accounts' with restricted privacy settings. This move is part of Meta's broader effort to protect teens from potentially harmful content on social media, especially as it faces legal challenges and criticism from state …

Instagram to block users from screenshotting messages in safety bid
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Instagram to block users from screenshotting messages in safety bid

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The new safety tools will also mean people will no longer be allowed to use their device …

Instagram Introduces Teen Accounts, Other Sweeping Changes To Boost Child Safety Online
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Instagram Introduces Teen Accounts, Other Sweeping Changes To Boost Child Safety Online

Huff Post  

File - The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, USA, Oct. 14, 2022. via Associated Press Instagram is making teen accounts private by default as it tries to make the platform safer for children amid a growing backlash against how social media affects young people’s lives. “So teen accounts is really focused on addressing those three …

Instagram makes teen accounts private as pressure mounts on the app to protect children
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Instagram makes teen accounts private as pressure mounts on the app to protect children

LA Times  

Students use their cellphones as they leave for the day at the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in downtown Los Angeles. Instagram is making teen accounts private by default as it tries to make the platform safer for children amid a growing backlash against how social media affects young people’s lives. “So teen accounts is really …

Australia proposes legal minimum age for children accessing social media
4 months ago

Australia proposes legal minimum age for children accessing social media

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian government on Tuesday promised to legislate this year to enforce a minimum age for children to access social media, but it has yet to announce how ages will be verified. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government would soon trial age verification technology with a view to banning children from opening social media accounts. Lisa …

Social media ban for children to be introduced this year, but age limit undetermined
4 months ago

Social media ban for children to be introduced this year, but age limit undetermined

ABC  

Children aged up to 16 could be banned from social media, as the federal government promises legislation to impose a minimum age to use platforms like Facebook and Instagram by the end of this year. It follows changes proposed by the South Australian government earlier this week, which would force social media companies to ban children 13 years old or …

Teen sues Meta for $5bn saying Instagram’s features are ‘addictive’
5 months ago

Teen sues Meta for $5bn saying Instagram’s features are ‘addictive’

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The case cites numerous internal documents …

Facebook and Instagram face fresh scrutiny under the European Union's strict digital regulations
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Facebook and Instagram face fresh scrutiny under the European Union's strict digital regulations

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
1 year, 1 month ago

Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege

Live Mint  

Meta Platforms sought to design its social-media products in ways to take advantage of known weaknesses of young users’ brains, according to newly unredacted legal filings citing internal company documents. Rather than seeking to crack down on underage usage, according to the complaint, Meta created charts “boasting Instagram’s penetration into 11- and 12-year-old demographic cohorts." In a 2019 email, Meta’s …

Snapchat under scrutiny from U.K. watchdog over underage users
1 year, 5 months ago

Snapchat under scrutiny from U.K. watchdog over underage users

The Hindu  

Britain's data regulator is gathering information on Snapchat to establish whether the U.S. instant messaging app is doing enough to remove underage users from its platform, two people familiar with the matter said. Reuters reported exclusively in March that Snapchat owner Snap Inc had only removed a few dozen children aged under-13 from its platform in Britain last year, while …

Snapchat Under Scrutiny By UK Watchdog For Alleged Allowance Of Underage Users
1 year, 5 months ago

Snapchat Under Scrutiny By UK Watchdog For Alleged Allowance Of Underage Users

News 18  

Britain’s data regulator is gathering information on Snapchat to establish whether the U.S. instant messaging app is doing enough to remove underage users from its platform, two people familiar with the matter said. Reuters reported exclusively in March that Snapchat owner Snap Inc had only removed a few dozen children aged under-13 from its platform in Britain last year, while …

Is 13 too young to have TikTok or an Instagram account? Some medical experts think so
1 year, 10 months ago

Is 13 too young to have TikTok or an Instagram account? Some medical experts think so

ABC  

The surgeon general is the "nation's doctor" in the United States. He said it poses a risk to young people's "self-worth and their relationships", adding: "I, personally, based on the data I've seen, believe that 13 is too early … the skewed and often distorted environment of social media often does a disservice to many of those children." Young people …

More than 1.6 million social media accounts are owned by underage children
2 years, 1 month ago

More than 1.6 million social media accounts are owned by underage children

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Instagram introduces age verification tools for UK users
2 years, 2 months ago

Instagram introduces age verification tools for UK users

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Instagram’s age estimation system sees the company working with UK firm Yoti, which specialises in the technology. …

Instagram is testing AI that verifies your age with a selfie scan. It’s not perfect
2 years, 6 months ago

Instagram is testing AI that verifies your age with a selfie scan. It’s not perfect

CNN  

CNN Business — Instagram is testing new ways to verify its youngest users’ ages, including by using artificial intelligence that analyzes a photo and estimates how old the user is. Meta-owned Instagram said in a blog post on Thursday that AI is one of three new methods it’s testing to verify users’ ages on the photo-sharing site. According to Yoti’s …

Instagram Is Testing New Ways To Verify Age Of Its Users
2 years, 6 months ago

Instagram Is Testing New Ways To Verify Age Of Its Users

News 18  

– Instagram said on Thursday it is testing new options for users to verify their age on the platform, starting with people in the United States. The photo-sharing service owned by Meta Platforms Inc said it is testing two new ways to verify a person's age, in addition to allowing them to upload their identity proof online. Instagram said it …

Porn sites will finally be forced to block children by demanding proof of age
2 years, 11 months ago

Porn sites will finally be forced to block children by demanding proof of age

Daily Mail  

Websites that publish porn will be finally legally required to verify the age of their users under new online safety rules. As part of a strengthening of the proposed Online Safety Bill, digital minister Chris Philp has said affected sites will need to put ‘robust checks’ in place to ensure users are 18 or over. The Government said the onus …

Instagram aims to bring back a chronological feed in 2022
3 years, 1 month ago

Instagram aims to bring back a chronological feed in 2022

The Hindu  

The head of Instagram said on Wednesday he aims to launch next year a version of the app with a chronological feed, rather than one ranked by algorithms, in his first appearance before Congress where he was grilled about children's safety online. Instagram and its parent company Meta Platforms Inc, formerly Facebook, have come under intense scrutiny over the potential …

Instagram and teens: How to keep your kids safe
3 years, 3 months ago

Instagram and teens: How to keep your kids safe

Associated Press  

For many parents, revelations this week from whistleblower Frances Haugen showing internal Facebook studies of the harms of Instagram for teenagers only intensified concerns about the popular photo sharing app. To comply, social media companies have generally banned kids under 13 from signing up for their services, although it’s been widely documented that kids sign up anyway, either with or …

Past storms haven’t fazed Facebook. Instagram Kids might
3 years, 3 months ago

Past storms haven’t fazed Facebook. Instagram Kids might

Associated Press  

Nineteen-year-old Gigi Painter hopes Facebook’s planned “Instagram Kids” never becomes a reality. Antigone Davis, Facebook’s head of global safety, defended Instagram’s efforts to protect young people using its platform, insisting that Facebook cares “deeply about the safety and security of the people on our platform.” The Senate Commerce Subcommittee is is examining how Facebook handled information from its own researchers …

Under 13 Instagram Paused for Now: Is Social Media for Kids a Good Idea?
3 years, 3 months ago

Under 13 Instagram Paused for Now: Is Social Media for Kids a Good Idea?

The Quint  

The brains up at Instagram's parent company, Facebook Inc. have been working on a long term business plan to tap the untapped demographic of preteens according to an exposé in the Wall Street Journal. YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok already have separate versions for kids, which position themselves as a way of making sure children are exposed to only kid friendly …

Foes united vs Facebook over Instagram's effect on teens
3 years, 3 months ago

Foes united vs Facebook over Instagram's effect on teens

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mounting public pressure over the revelations have prompted …

Facebook puts Instagram for kids on hold after pushback
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook puts Instagram for kids on hold after pushback

Associated Press  

Facebook is putting a hold on the development of a kids’ version of Instagram, geared toward children under 13, to address concerns that have been raised about the vulnerability of younger users. “I still firmly believe that it’s a good thing to build a version of Instagram that’s designed to be safe for tweens, but we want to take the …

‘Instagram for children’ paused amid parents’ fears over child safety
3 years, 3 months ago

‘Instagram for children’ paused amid parents’ fears over child safety

The Telegraph  

Instagram has paused plans to build a children's version of the social network, the app's boss has said amid a backlash against the proposals from parents and child safety experts. Adam Mosseri, the head of Facebook-owned Instagram, said he still believed "strongly" the company's aim of creating a version for children as young as 10 was the "right thing to …

Instagram pauses plans to develop app for kids under 13
3 years, 3 months ago

Instagram pauses plans to develop app for kids under 13

Al Jazeera  

The pause gives the photo-sharing app a chance to listen to concerns of parents and lawmakers and respond accordingly, Instagram’s chief said on Monday. Development plans for Instagram Kids are on hold for now, the photo-sharing app’s chief announced on Monday, after The Wall Street Journal reported in a series of investigative articles that Facebook is aware that Instagram is …

Instagram makes sharing date of birth compulsory
3 years, 4 months ago

Instagram makes sharing date of birth compulsory

The Hindu  

Instagram has made it mandatory for all users to enter their date of birth, an attempt to make the platform safe for younger users. The Facebook-owned company began the practice of asking for users’ birth dates in 2019, emphasising that users must be at least 13 years old to have an account according to the company's terms of service. The …

Google's New Policy Aims to Block Advertisement Targeting of Under-18 Users
3 years, 4 months ago

Google's New Policy Aims to Block Advertisement Targeting of Under-18 Users

News 18  

Alphabet’s Google is blocking ad targeting based on the age, gender or interests of people under 18, the company said on Tuesday. Google is introducing a new policy for all under-18s and their parents or guardians to request the removal of the young person’s images from Google Image search results, the company said in a blog post, as part of …

Here's How Instagram Is Making Itself Safer For Teens With New Tech & Restrictions
3 years, 5 months ago

Here's How Instagram Is Making Itself Safer For Teens With New Tech & Restrictions

News 18  

Facebook-owned photo sharing platform Instagram has announced a series of updates that are designed to make its app a safer place for online teens. Instagram said that it will default users to private accounts at sign-up if they are below the age of 16 – or 18 in certain areas like the European Union. Instagram said that according to its …

Instagram will not let under 16 users have a public account, will make it private by default
3 years, 5 months ago

Instagram will not let under 16 users have a public account, will make it private by default

India Today  

Instagram is determined to make the app safer for young users. Instagram will send a notification to users under 16 asking them to switch to a private account from a public account. People also can’t comment on your content in those places, and they won’t see your content at all in places like Explore or hashtags.” The Facebook-owned company shared …

Parents To Facebook: Don't Make A Kid-Only Instagram, Just A Better Instagram
3 years, 7 months ago

Parents To Facebook: Don't Make A Kid-Only Instagram, Just A Better Instagram

NPR  

Parents To Facebook: Don't Make A Kid-Only Instagram, Just A Better Instagram Enlarge this image toggle caption Rick Bowmer/AP Rick Bowmer/AP Social media companies prohibit kids under 13 from signing up because of federal privacy law. Parents say struggles with social apps start at early age Parents say Zuckerberg is right: many kids are going on social media, despite the …

Why Instagram for kids is being criticised by lawmakers and child rights groups
3 years, 7 months ago

Why Instagram for kids is being criticised by lawmakers and child rights groups

The Hindu  

Facebook-owned Instagram is said to be working on a separate app for children under 13, BuzzFeed News reported in March. Most recently, a group of U.S. lawmakers urged Facebook to not to create an Instagram service for children as it could potentially harm their physical and mental well-being. Facebook was on the edge of violating the Children’s Online Privacy and …

Instagram for Kids App Worries Experts, US Lawmakers Urge Facebook to Drop Plans
3 years, 7 months ago

Instagram for Kids App Worries Experts, US Lawmakers Urge Facebook to Drop Plans

News 18  

A group of Democratic US lawmakers on Tuesday urged Facebook to drop plans for a version of photo-sharing app Instagram for children younger than 13, saying the social media company had failed to “make meaningful commitments to protecting kids online.” Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Kathy Castor and Lori Trahan said Facebook had not addressed their concerns. …

Abandon Instagram for kids plan, U.S. states urge Facebook
3 years, 7 months ago

Abandon Instagram for kids plan, U.S. states urge Facebook

The Hindu  

U.S. officials representing 44 states and territories on Monday urged Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg to abandon plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13. According to the officials, use of social media can be detrimental to the health and well-being of children, who are not equipped to navigate the challenges of having a social …

AGs urge Facebook to drop ‘Instagram for kids’ proposal
3 years, 7 months ago

AGs urge Facebook to drop ‘Instagram for kids’ proposal

Associated Press  

A bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general has written to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg urging him to drop company plans for a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Monday. The attorneys general in the letter said they are concerned about social media’s effects on the physical and emotional well-being of …

Keep kids under 13 off Instagram, advocacy group tells Zuckerberg
3 years, 8 months ago

Keep kids under 13 off Instagram, advocacy group tells Zuckerberg

Al Jazeera  

A non-profit called on Facebook’s chief to cancel plans to launch an Instagram platform for preteen kids. An advocacy group on Thursday urged Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg to cancel plans to launch a version of the popular photo-sharing app Instagram for children under 13, saying that it would put the preteens at “great risk”. “Instagram, in particular, exploits …

Coming soon, a child-friendly version of Instagram
3 years, 9 months ago

Coming soon, a child-friendly version of Instagram

Live Mint  

Instagram says it is exploring the launch of a version of the image-centric social network for children under 13, with parental controls. The news from Instagram, which confirmed a report by BuzzFeed News, comes amid concerns about difficulties in keeping underage children off the perilous world of social media. Adam Mosseri, who heads the Facebook-owned service, said on Twitter: "Kids …

Facebook may soon launch Instagram for kids under the age of 13
3 years, 9 months ago

Facebook may soon launch Instagram for kids under the age of 13

India Today  

Facebook is working on a new version of Instagram that would be only for kids who are aged under 13. Instagram introduced new policies which would make it difficult for adult users to get in touch with a young user if he is being followed by the young user. “I’m excited to announce that going forward, we have identified youth …

Instagram’s new adult-blocking feature
3 years, 9 months ago

Instagram’s new adult-blocking feature

The Hindu  

In an effort to safeguard its teenage users, Instagram has added a feature that will prevent adults from sending messages to people under 18 who don’t follow them. The photo-sharing app also said the move is part of Facebook’s larger goal to make its platforms end-to-end encrypted and safer for younger users. So, Instagram says it is resorting to machine …

Instagram Introduces Safety Prompts for Teenage Users, Adults Can No Longer DM Teens Who Don't Follow Them
3 years, 9 months ago

Instagram Introduces Safety Prompts for Teenage Users, Adults Can No Longer DM Teens Who Don't Follow Them

News 18  

Instagram is becoming a safer platform for young users. The Facebook-owned photo-sharing platform has banned adults from direct messaging teenagers who don’t follow them and is introducing “safety prompts” that will be shown to teens when they send a message to adults who have been “exhibiting potentially suspicious behaviour.” Safety prompts will give teenagers the option of reporting or blocking …

Instagram will stop adults from sending messages to teens who don't follow them
3 years, 9 months ago

Instagram will stop adults from sending messages to teens who don't follow them

India Today  

In another step to curb harassment on its platform, Instagram will make the interaction between an adult and a teen tougher. To make the photo-sharing platform safer for young users, Instagram will not let adults message the teens who are not following them. Instagram will also send safety prompts to teens if they DM adults with “potentially suspicious behavior.” “To …

Instagram Under Scanner for Making Phone Numbers and Email Addresses of Minors Public
4 years, 2 months ago

Instagram Under Scanner for Making Phone Numbers and Email Addresses of Minors Public

News 18  

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has launched two inquiries into Facebook Inc FB.O after concerns were raised about the social network giant’s handling of children’s personal data on Instagram. The DPC, the main data privacy regulator in the European Union, received complaints from individuals and had identified “potential concerns” in relation to the processing of children’s personal data on Instagram, Deputy …

Instagram now has a minimum age requirement and new message controls: Everything you need to know
5 years, 1 month ago

Instagram now has a minimum age requirement and new message controls: Everything you need to know

India TV News  

Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms across the globe. Just like Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter, Instagram is also setting up a minimum age requirement in order to set up a new account. However, since it does not require any proof of birth, new users younger than 13 might use a fake date of birth to …

Instagram to collect ages in leap for youth safety, alcohol ads
5 years, 1 month ago

Instagram to collect ages in leap for youth safety, alcohol ads

The Hindu  

Facebook Inc’s Instagram said it will require birthdates from all new users starting on Wednesday, expanding the audience for ads for alcohol and other age-restricted products while offering new safety measures for younger users. In addition, Instagram will introduce in the coming weeks options for users to block messages from people they do not follow and for both businesses and …

Instagram to collect ages in leap for youth safety, alcohol ads
5 years, 1 month ago

Instagram to collect ages in leap for youth safety, alcohol ads

Live Mint  

SAN FRANCISCO :Facebook Inc's Instagram said it will require birthdates from all new users starting on Wednesday, expanding the audience for ads for alcohol and other age-restricted products while offering new safety measures for younger users. "Understanding how old people are is quite important to the work we're doing, not only to create age-appropriate experiences but to live up to …

Discover Related