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Instagram teen accounts in UAE: Some parents worry kids might use 'hacks' to escape controls

Some experts feel the new initiative may be a 'bandage solution' to a complex issue

Parents in the UAE have greeted with cautious optimism the move by tech giant Meta to roll out teen accounts with privacy and parental controls.

On Tuesday, Instagram announced that it will implement new settings that will automatically make millions of accounts by teenagers private and will restrict the kind of content they can access on the app.

“It’s a necessary step in the right direction,” said Zoltan Rendes from Dubai-based SunMoney Solar Group, who is a father to a 13-year-old. “Right now, it’s like the Wild West out there — anything goes. There’s a serious need for robust regulations to shield young users from inappropriate content, scams, and extreme viewpoints.”

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These accounts will be rolled out in US, UK, Canada, Australia and European Union this year. Meta has confirmed to Khaleej Times that it will be a while before those in the UAE will have access to it.

“Teens around the world, including the UAE will start to get Teen Accounts in January and onwards,” said a spokesperson, adding that they are taking the “necessary time” to get things right.

According to the official Instagram page, the new updates are designed to give parents “peace of mind that their teens are safe”, and to enhance teenagers' experience by giving them access to a new feature that “that lets them select topics they want to see more of”.

However, some teenagers in the UAE said they didn’t see the point of the change. “I understand the reasoning behind it but it also rubs me the wrong way when I see kids as young as 6 or 7 using social media,” said 16-year-old Rhea Nihalani. “I don’t think the new rule will be as effective as it intends to be. By supervising and limiting what teens can access and put on the internet to ages as old as 15, I feel like we are just giving them more reason to use it aggressively once they pass that age.”

Meta also clarified that setting up the supervision on Instagram will require both parents and children to agree.

“First, a teen or their parent sends an invitation for supervision. If a teen sends the invitation, they must confirm that the parent who accepted the invitation is the correct person to supervise their account. Only one parent can be supervising a teen's account. Once supervision is established, parents can approve and deny their teens’ requests to change settings or allow teens to manage their settings themselves," it said.

The tech giant said they will take steps to prevent inappropriate supervision including “limiting the number of accounts that a parent or guardian can supervise” and will block ineligible supervisors. It will also use AI technology to prevent adult accounts from lowering their age to gain access to teenagers.

'Band-aid solution'

The move by Meta comes after years of pressure from various groups to do more to protect teens. However, Omer Khan, Founder and CEO of mental health platform Helply described the move as a “band-aid solution” to a complex issue.

“From a psychological perspective, giving teens more control over their privacy settings can reduce their exposure to harmful content, bullying, and unsolicited messages,” he said.

“However, this doesn't completely solve the underlying issues. Even with privacy settings, teens might still experience feelings of social comparison — a major contributor to mental health issues. Seeing curated versions of their peers' lives can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Simply reducing exposure to certain content won't address this deeper psychological issue inherent in the nature of social media itself,” he added.

Misha Akbar, the founder of Sama Health, said that as a mental health practitioner and mother to a teenager, she took the news with a “grain of salt”. “While these tools are a positive step, they're just one piece of the puzzle,” she said. “As parents, we must go beyond just setting restrictions and have honest conversations with our teens about how social media impacts their mental health. It's about giving them the knowledge and confidence to navigate their online lives.”

She said she was curious to see how teens would react. “I think it is important to have a balance without coming across as too restrictive,” she said. “It still remains to be seen how teens will receive this news. My son seemed indifferent, perhaps because we set the boundaries and rules early on.”

Teen coach and educator Farhaana Ismail said the move could have “unintended consequences” and it needs to be balanced.

“Teens need protection now more than ever, however, stripping them of their autonomy may not be the best approach,” she said. “They naturally crave independence, and without proper education, these accounts may feel more like a restriction of their freedom. Education is key—teens need to understand what they are exposed to, the effects of this exposure, and how to safeguard themselves.”

Whack-a-mole effect

According to Omar, the move could backfire and create a “whack-a-mole effect”, causing teenagers to move to other platforms. “One of the unintended consequences could be that teens migrate to other, less-policed platforms,” he said. “We've seen this pattern before, with platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and others gaining popularity among younger audiences who want less oversight.”

He said this could lead to even greater risks. “Teens could constantly shift between platforms, making it more challenging for parents, regulators, and tech companies to keep up,” he said. “These less-policed platforms may have fewer safeguards in place, which could ultimately expose teens to even greater risks."

Misha said teens would look for ways to push the boundaries and “develop hacks” because they naturally seek independence.

According to Farhaana, youngsters seeking “excitement” are bound to try other platforms.

“As someone who works with teens daily, I know that they are natural risk-takers,” she said. “It’s not that they don’t understand the risks—they do, but they’re more likely to push boundaries. Dopamine floods their brains, making them feel a sense of thrill and excitement. At this stage in life, they’re also learning to be more independent. So yes, there’s a good chance they will switch to less monitored platforms in search of that excitement and autonomy," she said.

Zoltan said it was important for parents to watch out for “red flags” as far as their teens’ online behaviour was concerned. “If kids feel like they need to leave Instagram to escape these controls, it probably means they’re engaging in something they don’t want their parents involved in, and that’s worth looking into,” he said.

“Ultimately, while some might shift to other platforms, this should prompt a broader conversation about how parents regulate their child’s entire online experience, not just one platform. Restrictions should be part of an overall strategy, not just a quick fix on Instagram.”

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