Know How to Talk with your Teen About Instagram: A Parent’s Guide

We know that as a parent it may be hard to understand the changing digital landscape and what your kids are doing online. That's why we've created this resource. We're here to fill you in on what Instagram is all about, give you some conversation starters for you and your teen and show you some of the tools that are in place to keep your teen safe.

A Letter From the Parents of Instagram

If you're reading this, you're probably a parent. We know from research that many parents have concerns about their teen's safety online, and as parents who also work at Instagram, we want to address those concerns. It's with our teens in mind that we go into work every day. Parenting is both an amazing responsibility and a brilliant opportunity. For all of the incredible opportunities parenting brings, there are some challenging ones too – we're raising the first generation of digital natives, for whom the online world is just as important as the offline one.

We know that as a parent it may be hard to understand what your teen is doing online and why they're spending so much time on their phones. While it might seem like posting photos and videos is second nature for teens, many of them actually put a lot of thought into what they share online. It's hard to know how to have an open conversation with our teens and keep them safe while we're learning to navigate the landscape ourselves. We share these concerns, as does everyone who works at Instagram.

That's why we've created this guide. We know it might feel daunting to have these conversations with your teens. We want to make sure that you feel equipped with the tools you need to start the dialogue and hope this guide will make things a little easier.

We feel a great responsibility to make sure that Instagram is a supportive community for teens to connect and share, and we want to make sure that you as a parent feel informed and empowered to help guide them. We believe that the first step is understanding why they use Instagram, and what tools are available to ensure that their experience is positive, intentional and safe.

What Is Instagram?

Instagram is a social media app used to share photos, videos and messages. Whether it's through Stories, Feed, Live, IGTV or Direct, our mission is to bring people closer to the people and things they love. In order to do this, we believe it's essential that Instagram is a safe, supportive place for people to express themselves. The minimum age to have an Instagram account is 13. Teens use Instagram to celebrate big milestones, share everyday moments, keep in touch with friends and family, build communities of support and meet others who share their passions and interests. To learn more about the ways that teens use the Instagram app, see the glossary at the end of this guide.

Manage Privacy

There are a number of tools that you can share with your teen to give them more control over their digital identity and footprint. One of the first things you want to talk about with your teen is whether their account is going to be public or private. Making sure they understand that they have control over who sees and interacts with the things they post online will empower them to feel like they can be themselves on Instagram.

Manage Interactions

There is no place for bullying of any kind on Instagram and it's against our policies to create an account, post photos or make comments for the purpose of bullying or harassing someone else. Let your teen know that if they spot an account, photo, video, comment, message or story that is intended to bully or harass someone, they can report it from within the app by tapping “...” in the top right-hand corner of the post or profile, swiping left on the comment – or tapping and holding the message – and tapping “Report”. Reporting is totally anonymous; we don't share your teen's information with the person who has been reported.

Manage Time

When it comes to spending time on Instagram, there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to how much is too much or just right. There are a number of tools to help you and your family understand and take control of the time your teen is spending on the app. You can work together to decide what the right balance is for your family.

Ten Questions to Help You Start the Conversation

We partnered with social media and education expert Ana Homayoun, M.A., P.P.S., author of Social Media Wellness, to create a set of ten questions you can use to guide a conversation with your teen about Instagram. Our intention is that you use these questions to learn more about how your teen is using Instagram, and to ensure that they're using the app in a positive way.

1. What do you like about Instagram?
2. What do you wish I knew about Instagram?
3. What are the top five Instagram accounts that you enjoy following?
4. What are some of the things you think about before you post something on Instagram?
5. If you have multiple Instagram accounts, what do you share in each account?
6. How do likes and comments affect how you feel about a post? What are the top five Instagram accounts that you enjoy following?
7. Do you know your followers? (If your teen has a private account, ask them how they decide who follows them). What do you do when someone you don't know tries to contact you via direct message?
8. How do you feel about the amount of time you spend online?
9. Have you ever felt uncomfortable with something you saw or an experience you had online?
10. What would you do if you saw someone being bullied on Instagram? (Do you know about the reporting tools and the offensive comment filter on Instagram?)

Collaborators

We worked with and sought feedback from leading organizations for our Parent's Guide.

For more tools and resources, visit our Parents Portal page.