Parents across Lincolnshire being urged to be open with their children about social media
It comes after Instagram announced new Teen Accounts that have strict default protections overseen by parents
Parents across Lincolnshire are being urged to be open with their children when it comes to social media.
It's after Instagram announced new Teen Accounts that have strict default protections overseen by parents.
The restrictions include accounts being automatically private, messaging restrictions limiting them to contact only those they are already connected with and Meta's strictest sensitive content settings.
The changes are part of a major safety update to the platform.
The announcement comes as social media platforms continue to face regulatory pressure to better protect users, particularly children, from harmful content online with the Online Safety Act that will require firms to protect children from such content due to fully come into force in the UK next year.
Platforms, including Instagram, have previously been accused of failing to keep younger users away from harmful material on their sites, with many campaigners calling for stronger regulation to force companies to respond.
Kathryn Smith, community safety strategy coordinator for Lincolnshire Council, said: “Social media is mainly geared towards adult users, not young people.”
“It’s a whole community approach.”
“Some of them you must be at least 16 to join them and there is a reason for that because there is harmful content on there".
Ms Smith said parents should put rules and boundaries with their child online and encourages them to chat openly:
“Don’t see the online world as this big scary thing that’s out there but just as a normal part of teaching our child how to navigate life in general.”