Instagram is trying to make the social media platform safer for children amid a growing backlash against how social media affects young people's lives.
Now, new 'teen accounts' are being introduced, which Instagram's parent company Meta says will offer built-in protections and peace of mind for parents.
Here's what we know.
What are Instagram's teenage accounts?
Under the changes, anyone under 18 who signs up for Instagram in Australia, the US, the UK, and Canada will be placed into restrictive teen accounts.
The accounts will be private by default, and messages are restricted so teens can only receive them from people they follow or are already connected to.
"Sensitive content," such as videos of people fighting or those promoting cosmetic procedures, will be limited, Meta said.
Teens will also get notifications if they are on Instagram for more than 60 minutes and a "sleep mode" will be enabled that turns off notifications and sends auto-replies to direct messages from 10pm until 7am.
While these settings will be turned on for all teens, 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to turn them off. Children under 16 will need their parents' permission to do so.
When are Instagram's teenage accounts coming into effect?
The changes began on 17 September for new users.
Teenagers who are already using Instagram will be migrated into teen accounts over the next 60 days.
The changes will be introduced in the European Union later this year, and the rest of the world in January, Meta said.
How will the teen accounts be enforced?
Meta acknowledged teenagers may lie about their age, and said it would require them to verify their age in more places.
Meta said it is also building technology to proactively find accounts belonging to teenagers, even if the account lists an adult birthday.
Why are teen accounts being introduced?
The announcement comes as the company faces lawsuits from dozens of US states that accuse it of harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.
While Meta didn't specify how the changes might affect its business, the company said the changes may mean teens will use Instagram less in the short term.
Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg said the revenue impact of the changes "will likely be minimal".
"Even as Meta continues to prioritise teen safety, it's unlikely that it's going to make sweeping changes that would cause a major financial hit," she said.
Enberg said the teen accounts are unlikely to significantly affect how engaged teens are with Instagram "not in the least because there are still plenty of ways to circumvent the rules, and could even make them more motivated to work around the age limits."
