Instagram to alert parents if teens search for suicide
Instagram will notify parents who have activated supervision for their teenager if the teen repeatedly searches for information about suicide or self-harm, the social network announced, according to AFP.
Alerts will be sent via email, SMS, WhatsApp, or in-app notifications, depending on the contact information provided. Parents will also receive emergency contact numbers and guidance from health professionals on how to talk to their child, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.
The alert system will launch next week in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada, with expansion to other regions later this year. Instagram has set thresholds for triggering alerts based on the number of searches within a short period, with adjustments possible based on user feedback.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to protect young users, including default teen accounts introduced in 2024 for ages 13–18. These measures follow growing concerns about the negative impacts of social media and AI tools on adolescents’ mental health.
A current lawsuit in Los Angeles accuses Google and Meta of designing their platforms to be addictive for young users, contributing to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
