Instagram parental controls are very handy for preventing kids from accessing inappropriate content. Please read carefully to learn how to set them up and protect your kids.
An Introduction to Instagram Parental Controls
Instagram is a unique type of social media platform which is launched back in 2010. Since then, this platform has become exceptionally popular among users of all ages.
Although individuals of all age groups use Instagram, it is particularly popular among teens. A large number of teens use Instagram to share various photos and videos with friends.
In addition to that, they use this platform to communicate with their friends, thanks to its chat feature. The catch here is that some content on Instagram may not be appropriate for teens.
So, the chances are that your teen child can end up seeing or sharing some inappropriate content. If not, your kid can become vulnerable to shady individuals who have dangerous intentions.
If you are a concerned parent, you should keep track of the Instagram activities of your kid. With that said, your kids will not show their Instagram activities willingly.
Even if they do, you may not have enough time to keep track of all the activities. This is exactly when a handy feature like Instagram parental controls comes to play.
PS: let’s figure out how to hack an Instagram with no password.
What Should Parents Know About Instagram?
In fact, Instagram is a very popular platform, and its popularity is only likely to grow. In general, it’s accepted that a child should be at least 13 years old to use social media platforms.
However, in reality, many kids tend to use social networking websites, even if they are too young. Their parents even don’t know about that. Even kids under 10 use those apps.
In fact, these kids are too young to use those platforms and realize potential threats. So, as a responsible parent, you must take necessary precautions to prevent potential disasters.
In a way, you cannot directly say that Instagram is an unsafe or harmful application for kids. However, as adults, we must focus on how our kids behave on Instagram.
You can refer to the information provided below to give you a better idea about this platform.
Pros of Instagram
- Teenagers can make use of this social networking platform to share photos and videos.
- They can even share their photos and videos with friends and loved ones and make them engaged.
- Users are allowed to share photos related to any subject. This platform is exceptionally informative if you use it properly. This platform also offers superb flexibility.
- Users are allowed to use hashtags on the photos as well. As a result, they can also connect their posts with other similar content.
- Instagram users are allowed to tag their friends, no matter if a user is not following them. As long as you have the @username of the friend, you can tag them.
Cons of Instagram
- The users can share any photo or video on the Instagram platform. However, they are all visible to anyone. In addition to that, all the photos and videos get geotagged automatically. Therefore, anybody who follows your kids can learn about the current location anytime. And it’s a very risky thing.
- There is also the risk of viewing pornographic content or other inappropriate images. Therefore, parental supervision is exceptionally important to protect the kids.
- Instagram photos can be uploaded using hashtags. That means you can even upload the ones that come with abusive, harassing content.
- If your kid is tagged in a photo, the tagged photo is shared automatically. So everyone can see that image. This can be an easy target for cyber bullies.
- The Instagram platform is filled with plenty of users who boast about what they did. Young kids will take that content wrong as they are not mature enough. Those kids will eventually try to experience what the adults are boasting about.
Does Instagram Come with Parental Controls?
If you are a concerned parent, you might have already considered this aspect to protect your kids. That means you might have wondered how to use Instagram parental controls. However, the unfortunate truth is that no such faculty are provided with Instagram.
Does that mean you have to give up on monitoring your kids? No! The good news is that you can monitor your kids’ Instagram activities even if a default facility isn’t provided. In this case, we should use a third-party method to monitor it.
If the kids are bothered by actions such as explicit, harassing, or vulgar comments, you can easily track them. Also, you can report abusive or inappropriate behavior to the respective authorities.
If you see any inappropriate content for public users, you can also report it. However, to do all these things, you should have a way to monitor the accounts.
With that said, mentioned below are the methods you can consider to protect your privacy.
How to Apply Instagram Parental Controls?
Here, we provide a detailed guide about Instagram for parents. Go through this description and learn what you can do and prevent your kids from accessing danger.
Reporting an Inappropriate Photo
Is your kid using a Windows or an iPhone? If yes, you should see an icon that comprises three horizontal dots. However, if she uses an Android device, there will be three vertical dots. These dots appear just above the photo you intend to report.
You will see a drop-down menu when you click on that icon. After that, you should tap on the option called “Report.” Tap on that and choose the option called “Spam or Inappropriate.”
Reporting an Inappropriate Comment
Sometimes, your kid can be disturbed by a bad, inappropriate, or harassing comment left by someone. In that case, you should report that comment. To do that, you should tap on the respective comment first. Then, if it is an iPhone, swipe it left.
However, if it is an Android device, just tap on the comment and tap on the “i” icon. After that, choose “Spam or Scam or Abusive Content.”
Reporting an Underage Child
Have you come across an account that might belong to an underaged kid? In other words, an account belongs to a kid who is younger than 13?
In that case, you should fill out a form to report the account. After that, the account will be investigated by Instagram authorities.
Configuring a Private Account
You should know that all Instagram accounts are made available for public viewing. That is according to the default settings, though. Therefore, any individual can view your child’s profile and its content.
To overcome this issue, you should make the account a “Private” one. If you do that, the respective account can be viewed only by those who follow the kid’s account.
It is very easy to set up a private account. Mentioned below are the steps to do it.
- To begin, tap on your “Profile Pic” at the bottom.
- Then, click on the icon that appears like three dots.
- Then, you should scroll down ad tap on the option “Private Account.”
Removing Unappreciated Followers
When your kid has an Instagram account, any user can follow her. However, it is possible that your kid may not want to have some of those followers. In that case, you should tap on the “Followers.”
Then, you should also tap on the option that appears with three dots (next to the respective troublesome follower). After that, you can remove them.
Hiding Offensive Comments
Most of the Instagram comments are highly appreciated. However, it is also true that some comments can be offensive, harassing, or vulgar. In that case, the best approach is to hide those comments.
To do that, please tap on the three dots on the profile. If not, tap on the option called “Comment Controls.” Then, you should activate the option called “Hide Offensive Comments.” The website has the ability to detect those comments, although they are not as accurate as you expect.
Unfollowing a User
If there is any user who bothers your child, the best approach is to unfollow the user. Once they are unfollowed, they won’t be notified. Just go to the “Following” section of the profile and tap on the button labeled “Following.”
Well, if you wonder about Instagram parental controls, that’s the explanation we can offer. There is no official or specific way to apply Instagram parental controls. However, with the steps mentioned in this guide, you can put some sort of control over it.
Bonus: Use KidsGuard Pro to Protect Your Kids from Online Threats
The abovementioned steps can indeed block or report some users on Instagram. However, the truth is that it’s not just enough to protect your kids from online threats. So, how about monitoring your children’s activities remotely?
Well, there is a very handy tool to get it done for you. In this case, we will have to use a professional third-party YouTube parental control tool called KidsGuard Pro.
This special app can monitor all the activities that take place on the kid’s device. Apart from Instagram, this powerful app can monitor all the other social media platforms. So, whenever something inappropriate happens on a kid’s smartphone, you can take the necessary actions immediately.
The best thing about KidsGuard Pro is that you can use it on the kid’s device in stealth mode. The activities will be displayed on a dashboard that can be viewed remotely on your device.
Moreover, they offer a 3-day free trial as well. It can monitor real-time location, call history, SMS, pictures, etc. So, even if Instagram parental controls don’t exist, KidsGuard Pro can fill the gap comprehensively.
