Instagram is the most popular social network among teens. They use it to share photos with themselves, follow celebrities and brands they like, and message their friends. To protect your children, you should make sure their account is set to private. This means that any person who wants to follow them or see their posts has to be individually approved. Even with a private account, any person with an Instagram account can visit your child’s page and send them unsolicited messages. When accounts are public, this is particularly dangerous. Children should never share their Instagram usernames publicly, as it makes it too easy for strangers to contact them. It is very easy to create an anonymous account, so there is high risk of bullying. There is also adult content to be found on Instagram. No minor should have a social networking or messaging account that their parent is unaware of. No child under 15 should have Instagram at all.
If your child has this app, it is important to understand what they are posting and create guidelines for them to follow when using it. First of all, their account should be set to private. This way the have to approve followers. Your child should also know to never accept the friend request of a stranger and to tell you immediately if anyone they do not know is contacting them via this app. Check in with them periodically to be sure their followers are all real-life friends and make sure they are not posting any inappropriate photos. Refer to our Parent’s Guides section for more info on how to talk to your child about the risks associated with Instagram.
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