Parents will also be able to see who is following their child and who their child is following. If the teen reports inappropriate behaviour on Instagram, they can also notify their parent via the app.
The changes were made available in the United States in March but Garlick said the Australian launch date was determined by a need to consult with local experts and regulators.
Two other changes operate without the need for parental involvement. Teens will get nudges to encourage them to view other posts if they are obsessively viewing images of one kind and, if they have been watching short form videos called Reels for lengthy periods, reminders to turn on a feature that encourages them to periodically close the app. The user can ignore those prompts.
A new online toolkit will also include material from anti-bullying, body image and mental health groups PROJECT ROCKIT, ReachOut and Butterfly.
ROCKIT’s co-founder Lucy Thomas said in a statement that Instagram had taken a “pivotal step” that would help parents help their children.
Chris Cooper, the executive director of Reset Australia and a critic of social media’s treatment of children, said Meta had not made significant changes globally that would make its platform safe for young girls following Haugen’s testimony.
“The changes that do need to be made would affect the business model and profit [of Meta],” Cooper said – adding, for example, algorithmic changes to avoid amplifying harmful content that could encourage things such as disordered eating.
He spoke in general terms because Meta had not made its changes public.
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Garlick said Instagram had made other changes to manage those concerns, such as limits on some types of body image content, partnerships with NGOs, and options for users to hide how many people had ‘liked’ a post.
Haugen, the whistleblower, told Australian MPs late last year to be cynical of promises by Facebook to reform and address its problems. Part of her criticism of the company was that, in her view, it was aware of its negative impact on teen girls but did not change its practices.
“It is simply not accurate that this research demonstrates Instagram is ‘toxic’ for teen girls,” the company said in a statement at the time.
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