Instagram Safety 101

Help get your child set up safely with a new platform or app, with this quick reference guide.

What is it?

Instagram is a social media app where people share photos, videos, and messages. It’s commonly used by rangatahi to connect with friends, follow influencers, and explore content. Instagram users can:

Share posts, stories (24-hour content), and reels (short videos)
Follow friends, celebrities, and creators
Send private messages (DMs), including group chats
Comment, like, and react to content

Instagram is highly visual and social, with DMs (direct messages) being a major feature of its use. The content is algorithm-driven (i.e. it is suggested, as well as followed meaning that new content is being surfaced and recommended based on the users previous content interaction.

For parents and caregivers the key thing to understand is that Instagram is both a content platform and a messaging app, where interaction with others could be considered central to the overall experience.

Why it's popular

Instagram enables rangatahi to:

Stay connected with friends
Share photos and videos
Watch short-form content (Reels)
Follow influencers and trends
Engage in group chats and private messaging

What to watch out for

Private messaging (DMs)

Instagram includes private messaging features such as one-to-one chats, group chats, and message requests from people they don’t know. These spaces can feel more personal and immediate, which can make it harder for young people to manage conversations or recognise when something isn’t appropriate, especially if messages come from unfamiliar accounts.

Ask questions like “Who do you usually message on Instagram?” to understand who they’re talking to, and talk about not replying to unknown accounts. Reassure them they don’t have to engage with everyone, and encourage keeping conversations with people they know and trust.

Exposure to inappropriate content

The 'Explore' and 'Reels' feeds are designed to show a wide range of content, which can sometimes include adult material, unrealistic lifestyles or body images, and trends that aren’t suitable for their age. Because this content is algorithm-driven, children may come across it even if they weren’t actively looking for it.

Ask “What kind of videos are showing up for you?” to get a sense of what their feed looks like and help them recognise when content doesn’t feel right. Reassure them they can scroll past or come and speak to you if it's left them feeling unsure, upset or worried.

Social pressure and comparison

Instagram can create pressure to look a certain way, gain likes or followers, and keep up with trends. Seeing curated highlights of other people’s lives can lead young people to compare themselves or feel like they’re not measuring up.

Talk about the difference between what’s real and what’s curated online, and explore how content makes them feel. Encourage regular, open and non-judgemental chats about social media to normalise the conversation - this is one of your strongest safety nets and helps your child to know they can come to you if something doesn't feel right online.

Strangers viewing or interacting

If an account is public, anyone can view posts, follow the account, or send messages. This means young people may be interacting with people they don’t know in person, sometimes without fully understanding who is behind an account.

Talk about who they want seeing their content, why privacy matters and help them think about what they share and who has access to it.

Time and scrolling

'Reels' and 'Explore' are designed for endless scrolling, with content continuously recommended based on what users engage with. This can make it easy for young people to lose track of time and spend longer on the app than intended.

Help them notice when they’ve been scrolling for a long time and gently prompt or check-in to support them to take breaks and stay aware of their screen time.

5 minute safety settings

Sit together and work through settings to put some basic protections in place, and talk about why they're important.

These settings are designed to reduce contact with strangers, limit inappropriate content and protect privacy.

Note: Settings and menu options may look slightly different depending on your child’s device and account, but these controls are the most important to check.

Instagram Teen Accounts are by default set to private, with restrictions on who can message them. However you should still check this setting rather than assume the settings have been applied by default and not changed since.

Open Instagram
Tap the profile icon (bottom right)
Tap the menu (☰ top right)
Select 'Settings and privacy'
Tap 'Account privacy'
Turn ON 'Private account' or check that it is already on

This means that only approved followers can see posts, Stories, and interact with the account. This is one of the most effective ways to reduce contact from strangers.

Even with a private account, people can still try to message your child so this step is important.

Go to 'Settings and privacy'
Scroll to 'How others can interact with you'
Tap 'Messages and story replies' (or 'Messages' depending on the account)

Set:

Your followers on Instagram → Message requests or Don’t receive
Others on Instagram → Don’t receive requests

This reduces or blocks messages from people your child doesn’t know. Message settings help control who can contact them directly, not just who can see their profile.

This automatically filters offensive or inappropriate language.

Go to 'Settings and privacy'
Tap 'Hidden Words'
Turn ON filtering for 'comments' and 'messages requests' (wording may vary slightly)

This helps filter out harmful or abusive language in both comments and messages. You can also add custom words or phrases to filter content further.

This reduces the likelihood of your child seeing upsetting or inappropriate content in Explore, Search, and Reels.

Go to 'Settings and privacy'
Tap Content preferences (or Suggested content) → Sensitive content control
Set to 'Less'

This setting limits exposure to content that may be violent, suggestive, or otherwise inappropriate. It applies to Explore, Reels, search results, and recommended content, but not posts from accounts they already follow.

This controls how others can engage with your child’s content.

Go to 'Settings and privacy'
- Under 'How others can interact with you', open each of the following: Comments
- Mentions
- Tags
Set each to:
- People you follow or No one

These settings reduce unwanted attention and limit who can publicly interact with your child. These are separate settings and you’ll need to adjust each one individually.

What else can help?

Support your child to navigate Instagram safely...

Ask your child what accounts they follow and take time to look at their Explore feed together. This helps you understand what kind of content they’re regularly seeing and how their experience is shaped. Instagram varies a lot depending on what they engage with, so staying curious and involved makes a big difference.
Direct messages (DMs) can feel more personal and harder for young people to manage, especially if conversations become uncomfortable or unexpected. Talk about how DMs are different from public comments and remind them they don’t have to respond to everyone. Help them understand they can ignore, block, or leave conversations at any time.
What your child watches, likes, or clicks on influences what Instagram shows them next. Helping them understand this gives them more control over their experience. Encourage them to skip or scroll past content they don’t like, so their feed becomes a safer and more positive space.
Let your child know it’s okay to remove people or content that doesn’t feel right, even if it’s someone they know. This helps them feel more in control of their online environment. Unfollowing or blocking is a normal and important way to protect their wellbeing online.
Instagram is highly visual and can have a strong impact on how young people feel about themselves and others. Create space for regular conversations about their experience on the app. Asking simple questions like “How do you feel after using it?” can help them reflect and speak up if something isn’t right.