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Instagram to ask new users for date of birth to ensure "age-appropriate experiences"

Instagram says it will start asking for the date of birth of people creating a new account on the...
Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

21.03 4 Dec 2019


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Instagram to ask new users for...

Instagram to ask new users for date of birth to ensure "age-appropriate experiences"

Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

21.03 4 Dec 2019


Share this article


Instagram says it will start asking for the date of birth of people creating a new account on the platform.

The Facebook-owned social network says they want to ensure a "safer experience" for younger members.

Their terms of use typically state that children have to be at least 13 to sign up for the platform - and usually new members have simply had to state they're over 13.

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In a blog post explaining the changes, the company explained: "Asking for this information will help prevent underage people from joining Instagram, help us keep young people safer and enable more age-appropriate experiences overall.

"Your birthday will not be visible to others on Instagram, but you’ll be able to see it when viewing your own private account information."

Instagram says it will add the date of birth from a Facebook account if the two accounts are being linked.

They're also pledging to introduce other 'age-appropriate' features for younger Instagram members - including recommended privacy settings for young people.

Reuters reports that Instagram said advertisers did not influence the new date of birth requirement - amid suggestions the change could expand the audience for age-restricted ads for the likes of alcohol and gambling by ensuring they're restricted to older users.

The social media firm will not very birth-dates as teenagers are often not in a position to do so, the news agency notes.

Main image: File photo of Instagram app open on a phone. Picture by: Nick Ansell/PA Wire/PA Images

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