Instagram

16+

Minimum age for Australians from 4 December 2025, according to Instagram

What is Instagram?

Instagram is a social media service owned by Meta designed for people to share photos and videos. You can upload and share photos, images or videos using a range of overlay and filter effects. Instagram ‘Stories’ allows you to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.

You can follow other profiles so they appear in your feed and your profile can also be followed by them. You can like and comment on each other’s posts. Instagram has additional settings that allow you to moderate these comments (such as keyword blocking) and control if other people or accounts tag you. These functions are available on individuals' Instagram accounts and if you manage an Instagram account for your organisation or business. You can also create a 'Close Friends' list so you can choose to share content with a select group of friends.

The app features direct messaging and video calling. You can also start a chat with Meta AI, an artificial intelligence chatbot that can answer questions and search the internet.

Instagram’s ‘Teen Accounts’ are automatically applied to users aged 13 to 17. They have built-in limits on who can contact them and the content they see.

According to Instagram, ‘sensitive content’ is filtered out from accounts teens don’t follow and they can only be messaged or tagged by people they follow or are already connected to. Offensive words and phrases are also filtered out of comments and message requests. Teens will also get notifications telling them to leave the app after 60 minutes each day. Teen accounts are set to private by default for teens under 16 already on Instagram and teens under 18 when they sign up, meaning they need to accept new followers. Teen accounts allow parents and carers to set daily time limits on the use of the app and see the accounts their children message and the content categories they view. Teens under 16 need their parent’s or guardian’s permission to change safety and privacy settings.

In August 2025, Meta introduced a new feature called ‘Instagram Map’, similar to Snapchat’s ‘Snap Map.’ When you open Instagram, the map updates your current location (if you have location sharing enabled). That location stays on the map for the people you share it with, even after you close the app. It will only change the next time you open Instagram, at which point, it will update to your new location. You should be aware that this can reveal private information, like where you live and where you go. You can turn off this feature at any time. The feature is only available in certain countries, and is not yet available in Australia.

Website: www.instagram.com

Apps: Android app, Apple iOS app

How do people use Instagram?

Learn more about the benefits and risks associated with how people use image and video sharing services like Instagram.

Instagram is used for: content creation, location sharing, messaging/online chat, photo/video sharing, online relationships, screen capture and video calling.

Social media age restrictions for under-16s

Meta announced that from 4 December 2025, Australians under 16 will no longer have access to their Instagram accounts or be able to create a new account. This change is in response to the Australian Government's social media age restrictions.

Users aged 16 and older who mistakenly receive a notification or lose access to their accounts have the option to confirm their age through Meta’s third-party partner, Yoti, by providing a video selfie or government-issued ID. Yoti deletes this information once the age check is complete.