Instagram will make accounts for users under 16 private by default

Instagram announced that it will start defaulting the accounts of users on its platform under the age of 16 to private.

Instagram has decided to make the move mostly based on recent research that showed eight in 10 young users preferred more private settings, and to discourage unwanted contact from adults.

Instagram asks users to state their date of birth during account sign-in and from now on, for users under 16, the app will automatically select account privacy. In fact, existing users under the age of 16 will receive an in-app notification that encourages them to turn their public account into a private one.

It should be mentioned also that Instagram still allows teenagers under the age of 16 to switch their accounts to public at any time.