Instagram

App review by Liz Panarelli, Common Sense Media
Instagram Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 15+

All-in-one social app for sharing, shopping, and scrolling.

iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Free Photo & Video
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 174 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 455 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this app.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Instagram is a popular social network, and that the platform's core feature is instantly enhancing photos and videos with cool effects and sharing them across a number of other social media platforms. The terms specify that users should be at least 13 years old and should not post partially nude or sexually suggestive photos but do not prohibit the portrayal of violence, swear words, or drugs. People must enter their birth date to use the platform. Though it's easy to lie, the platform says it will use artificial intelligence to determine if the birth date is authentic. Users can flag photos for review, but mature content still appears in some photos and in the comment sections. Teens signing up with a birth date indicating that they're under 16 will have private accounts by default, and those with public accounts will get a notification about the benefits of having a private account and how to switch. Photos shared in Instagram are public and may have location information unless privacy settings are adjusted. Also, it's possible to save other users' photos. In the app's Direct section, users can send private messages directly to other users, and a green status dot shows your friends you're active in the app (which could show people that you're active but not answering their messages) unless you turn it off in settings. Vanish Mode lets friends send messages that disappear after users leave the chat. In a section called Instagram Video, users can subscribe to other people's video collections called channels (like YouTube). Tinder users can access other Tinder users' Instagram feeds directly from within the Tinder app, even on private Instagram feeds, if Tinder integration is enabled. As of 2016, users can livestream video, and video streams and selected private photos will disappear, Snapchat-style. If they want to send an audio message, users can hold down the microphone button and record a minute-long message to send. And, as of 2020, users can use the Reels feature to create TikTok-style short videos with visual effects and clips from popular music that they can share in their Instagram Stories or in their main feed. Users can use Remix to build on another user's Reels, like with TikTok Duets.

Users can remove followers, turn off comments, mute followers, and like others' comments. They can also choose not to see likes on posts. If users want to poll their friends, they can attach a sticker to an image to get votes. Teens will see lots of product placement and marketing, and they can make purchases directly from buy links in the app and from the Shop section. The Your Activity feature shows how much time you've spent using the app, lets you set a time limit for yourself and get a reminder, and gives access to your notification settings. Parents can learn more about Instagram and see conversation starters around its use in their parents' guide. Read the app's privacy policy to find out about the types of information collected and shared. Under the CCPA law you have the right to protect your personal information. Make a Do Not Sell request to Instagram.

Community Reviews

Joe Ferguson
Joe Ferguson Adult
May 3, 2020
age 12+

Instagram for strict parents

I have 2 kids, a daughter whos 14 and a son whos 16. I remember having a conversation with my oldest when he was about 11. He was saying all his friends had it and all that. I did some of my own research and told him that he needed to be 12. . There were going to be some rules though, his Mom I and would follow his account. We did not want him to waste a lot of time on it. Instagram does make time fly, we didnt want him to be a pariah but we wanted him to not waste too much time on it. He has a screen time limit of 2 hrs a day; Instagram/Gaming/Youtube/Netflix are all mixed in this. Normally we wouldn't care how he split the time, but gaming has benefits to the brain while Instagram does not. The maximum amount he could ever spend on it was 35 minutes. And we checked every week. He did go over it sometimes so we had to reinforce the rules and suspend it once in a while. He is now 16 and still follows the rules. As parents we tend to underestimate kids, if you clearly state rules and punishments, they will follow. With my daughter I was worried about creeps. I was worried about the bad people getting to communicate with her. I let her get Instagram for her 14th birthday, we had very strict rules for her. She could follow only her friends and celebs. NO STRANGERS. Strangers could follow her because teens want followers but, she could only follow her friends. We made it clear to her that if someone started flirting with her over Instagram, and she didnt know them, it was not ok. We wanted her not to be scared of us forcing her to delete it so that was not an option. What I've learned from friends children is that if you do not let your child use it, they will use it on their own terms ignoring you. That opens many bad doors, its better to let them know that we are allowing them, not that they are doing it themselves. After all, how long can parents control their kid. Instagram is a double sided sword. Used wisely it can be a good tool. Used unwisely, could lead to problems. As parents that's where we come in, don't be afraid to take their phone without warning and check it. Before giving them Instagram lay out the rules. My rules are; 1. Strangers can follow, but no conversations with them. 2. Parents follow the account to see what stuff they post. 3. Strict time limit of 35. 4.Parents can search phone if wished. 5. It can be suspended until further notice as punishment. PS: I have found that Instagram is much safer than Facebook and SnapChat.
14 people found this helpful.
triz
triz Adult
February 3, 2022
age 17+

Instagram IS HARMFUL FOR CHILDREN

Horrible app! Just disgusting! all the teens get depressed because they see things that are not real ! Photoshopped pics of models, semi nudes, etc . Also lot of predators, so parental care is always better. and the app is always malfunctioning. took 30 min to do ONE POST!! It just crashes my phone constantly! It gets super slowed down just when I'm about to post and then it blocks my phone completely and i lose the post! Got to do it ALL AGAIN. feel super bad for the people who live of the work for Instagram because the app is terrible full of bugs !Not to mention the Photoshop that make us all think we're worthless...Mark Zucker,u can do better than this lol ,ur algorithm works better than the app functions!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much consumerism
4 people found this helpful.
See all 174 parent reviews

What’s It About?

All users can view popular photos and videos shared by other users on INSTAGRAM. Users who create logins also can share their own photos and videos, which can be seconds long or as long as 60 minutes. They can also livestream video, which will disappear after the stream ends, or share private photos that will disappear.

If you create a collection of videos, you can have a channel that other users can subscribe to on a feature called Instagram Video. After taking or choosing a photo, you can modify the lighting, contrast, and color with preset effects, which usually make the photo look high-quality and interesting. You also can add a border or blur effects, and change brightness. Add a caption, share the photo on Instagram, and, if desired, share it via email or other social networks. Photos and videos are public by default, but you can choose to make your posts private in settings, as well as choose to share photos and videos with 15 or fewer friends via Instagram Direct. People can also save other users' photos.

Similar to Snapchat, Instagram offers "Stories," where users can post a series of photos or videos strung together; these last only 24 hours. Like TikTok, Instagram also offers "Reels," where users can create 15-second videos with music, filters, and visual effects. Users can remove followers, turn off comments, and like others' comments. The term "Finsta" applies to accounts that kids use under made-up names, where they share content they want to share only with certain people. Finsta accounts are also used to post racier content and bully people. When you're active in the app, a green status dot is visible next to your name -- i.e., visible to your friends; you can turn that feature off in settings.

Is It Any Good?

This social network offers cool photo effects powerfully combined with the social seduction of Facebook, the popularity filter of Reddit, the hashtag and follower sharing models of Twitter, the music-based videos of TikTok, and the curse and blessing of commentary on YouTube -- and that's just within the app. Instagram makes your photos and videos look cool and then makes it easy to share them instantly, across multiple platforms, allowing you to broadcast how #awesome your life is right now. The competition for cool can get a little tiresome (the comments are full of users seeking followers), and -- as with any huge social app -- it's an enormous mixed bag with a dark underbelly.

It's admirable that you can create notifications to remind you of how much time you've spent on the app each day, but each new feature -- like Stories, Reels, and the Shop -- seems intended to keep you scrolling forever. As with any social network, it's helpful to talk to kids about privacy settings and mindful sharing, since things shared on the internet can follow you forever. Overall, Instagram does a remarkable job of implementing a neat idea with an easy and fast interface, all for free. But the endless features, disappearing messages, and consumer elements can make it tricky for parents to monitor.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about being smart about what and how they share on Instagram and online in general. We have some great tips on safety and being a good digital citizen.

  • Discuss online advertising and shopping. How do you know that something is an ad? What about when your favorite Insta star says a product is good? Is shopping from within the app OK?

  • Talk about using features responsibly. Is it OK to livestream? How can you use the polling stickers in a fun way that won't hurt any feelings?

  • Talk about the music used in Reels and apps like TikTok. What are the family's rules around music? What about dancing in videos?

App Details

  • Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
  • Subjects: Arts: photography
  • Skills: Creativity: producing new content, Communication: conveying messages effectively, friendship building, multiple forms of expression, Tech Skills: digital creation, social media
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Release date: April 21, 2012
  • Category: Photo & Video
  • Publisher: Instagram, Inc.
  • Version: 2.4.0
  • Minimum software requirements: IOS 3.1.2 or later; Android 2.2 and up
  • Last updated: January 23, 2019

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