The changes will apply immediately to any new Teen Accounts but will be extended to existing accounts held by teenagers in the US, UK, Australia and Canada over the next few months.

Teen Accounts will be private and will include protections like only allowing the accounts to message people they follow or are already connected with, and parents will be able to see who their child has been messaging. 

There will also be protections around restricting sensitive content, limiting what is shown to teens on the Explore page or in Reels, such as sensitive content promoting cosmetic procedures or fighting. 

Teen Accounts will also enter "sleep mode" between 10 pm and 7 am, limiting their access overnight, with parents able to adjust these hours. 

Any user younger than 16 will need their parent's permission to change their account settings. 

Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, said the program was designed to give parents peace of mind. 

"They've been clear and what they're most concerned about, and we're trying to proactively address those concerns without requiring their involvement," he said on Good Morning America. 

"But if a parent wants to get involved, we've also built some robust tools to allow them to shape the experience into what's most appropriate for their teen because at the end of the day, a parent always knows what's best for their child."