Instagram’s new protections spark discussion among Hong Kong students, psychologist

Claudia Loh from Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School approved of the changes: “These restrictions will be effective in protecting me and my peers, as we now have a private account which ensures a safe community of only people we know,” the 15-year-old said.

Another feature of Teen Accounts is a reminder to leave the platform after an hour’s use each day. Claudia said this would help teenagers “snap back to the present” and take a break from doomscrolling.

Meanwhile, Valerie Chiu from St Mary’s Canossian College appreciated how the app’s notifications would automatically be turned off from 10pm to 7am.

“When we hear a notification, we’re more likely to pick up our phones and get distracted by other things, even if it’s just random pop-ups. Turning off notifications can help us avoid staying up late to scroll through posts and stories.”

However, Valerie doubted these measures alone would effectively protect teenagers because they depend on users telling the truth about their age.

“To be honest, if they want, they can also get multiple accounts, some of which are visible to their parents and others that are not,” she said.

Dr Andrew Stock, president of the Psychotherapy Society of Hong Kong, agreed that Teen Accounts were simply a starting point for younger users to better navigate their online interactions.

Well-being features such as “quiet hours” encourage teens to have more regular sleep patterns, and the usage reminders help them avoid “mindless scrolling,” he said.

In addition, the content restrictions and blocking of offensive words in comments and messages create a more controlled and secure environment for teens to interact with their friends.

However, Stock said these regulations might push teenagers onto less regulated platforms.

Claudia said parents can help their children learn about online safety and what is safe to view.

Stock agreed that these discussions can be helpful. “As a teen, you might hesitate to share what’s happening on social media with your parents. And you don’t need to share everything with them, but ... sometimes unsafe things happen online. So, a team effort is best, where you decide together with your parents, or a trusted adult, what needs to be shared and when.”

Stock said teenagers could benefit from social media literacy skills. These include understanding how their online actions could affect them in real life, protecting their personal information, and reporting cyberbullying.

However, he said that Instagram’s new policies may not make much of a difference overall. The company needs to reduce the risks within the site itself.

In short, if Instagram truly wants to protect teens’ privacy and mental health, it needs to change how the platform works. This could mean looking at the algorithms that decide what teens see and adjusting them to reduce the risks to their well-being.

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