Safety of Young People Online
Kids are encountering unwanted content on Instagram despite having teen filtered accounts.
Lawmakers have long debated how to keep young people safe online. Texas legislators considered a law this year that would have restricted social media use by minors, in addition to the existing Scope Act, which requires parental consent for someone under 18 to create a social media account.
According to a study commissioned by child advocacy groups, 60% of teens ages 13 to 15 who used Instagram in the last six months encountered either unsafe content or unwanted messages.
Some of [the messages were] from people they suspect were adults, some of them trying to initiate romantic conversations with them, said tech expert Omar Gallaga.
Author summary: Kids face online safety risks despite filtered accounts.