As a parent, you may often feel out of touch and confused by social media platforms like Instagram.
With over a billion monthly active users, Instagram dominates the social scene for teenagers and young adults.
As your teen or other teenagers spend hours scrolling, posting, and interacting on the app, you may be left wondering—is this safe? Is this healthy? How much is too much screen time?
As overwhelming as the world of Instagram may seem, arming yourself with knowledge is key. This comprehensive guide answers important questions most Kenyan parents have regarding Instagram. Let’s get into it.
How Does Instagram Work and What Do I Monitor?
Instagram is a popular social media platform focused on photo and video sharing.
As a user, you can follow other accounts, post your own photos and videos, interact with content, and build an audience.
The service is free to use by creating an account. The platform revolves around the concept of followers and the people you follow. So, how does it work?
When your teenager joined Instagram, they likely downloaded the app onto their mobile device and created a free account using their email address or phone number.
Once signed up, they personalized their presence by choosing a unique username like @jeffsters rule or @njesh_rox. They also selected a fun profile picture to showcase their personality—maybe a selfie, cartoon avatar, or favorite celebrity.
Note: Your teen may have two accounts; one they share with you and another with the special characters and names chosen. Be vigilant to ensure you are monitoring the true account.
In the bio section, your teen may have described their interests, age, school activities, and more details you hopefully recognize!
Note: Check to make sure the username and bio details your teen used do not reveal private or inappropriate information or otherwise put their identity and safety at risk.
To start engaging on Instagram, your teenager probably began following accounts related to their hobbies, funny meme pages, YouTube stars, musicians, and friends.
Note: Monitor that your teen’s followed accounts and followers seem age-appropriate and non-suspicious. Watch for adult or inappropriate content or accounts following very young teens.
As their network of followed accounts grew, your teen also gained their own followers. This follower count serves as their “Instagram audience”. Now, when they post photos or videos, these followers can view, like, and comment on the content.
Note: Check in on the types of photos or videos shared—do they overshare, show risky behavior, or indicate issues like depression or self-harm? Also, consider if they have activated personal location identifiers on their posts.
Over time, as your teen interacted with more posts, Instagram’s suggestion algorithm likely recommended new accounts for them to follow based on interest and search factors.
As your teen built up connections, they became comfortable posting their own photos and videos. They may have even gone live or posted “disappearing” Stories.
Note: Monitor whether your teen is engaging positively with others, if there are signs of cyberbullying, or predators reaching out to them via comments or DMs. Teach them how to block or report suspicious accounts.
Related: Should You Monitor Your Teenager’s Phone? How Not to Do It
Are Teens Fit to Use Instagram?
It depends, as Instagram can provide both benefits and risks for teenagers.
With its endless photo feeds and filtered selfies, at first glance Instagram appears innocent enough.
However, behind the flattering filters lies a platform filled with superficial materialism, social comparisons, and potentially risky connections.
While your teen goes to Instagram for community and self-expression, their still developing brains make them highly influenced by peer pressure and approvals in the form of comments and likes.
The desire to gain followers and increase engagement often encourages teens to post more revealing photos or overshare personal information that jeopardizes privacy and safety.
Cyberbullying and predatory direct messaging can also become issues without proper account controls.
As a parent, you should question if your teen possesses the needed maturity and critical thinking to handle Instagram safely.
What Content Will My Teen See on Instagram?
The content your teen is exposed to on Instagram varies depending on:
- Who they follow
- How they engage
- The algorithm that suggests additional accounts
Their feed will likely showcase photos and videos from friends along with content from meme accounts, celebrities, brands, influencers, or creators your teen actively follows.
As they like, comment on, and save posts, the Instagram AI picks up interests and recommends similar accounts to follow.
Your teen may also discover new accounts through search and functions like Explore. This is where the concern of a parent should be.
In Explore, inappropriate or adult content can bypass filters even with safety precautions on. Your teen may come across content that values promoting consumerism, sexualization, and more adult themes you may judge as inappropriate for their age.
How Can I Monitor My Teen’s Activity on Instagram?
As concerning as social media can be, banning Instagram access rarely works, especially if you already gave the go-ahead to join and bought them their own phone to access.
If you try to forcefully stop them, your teen will find ways to sneak online and just hide their usage instead. A better approach is to:
- Maintain an open, non-judgmental dialogue about your teen’s activity rather than enforce restrictive monitoring.
- Ask them to give you a tour of their profile and walk through their feed together.
- Initiate regular check-ins to discuss healthy usage habits and assess if they encounter inappropriate DMs or content.
- If you notice increased moodiness or social withdrawal offline, gently ask whether online interactions may play a role.
- For more tangible results, set notifications to come to your phone so you are aware of comments and new followers. Read on parental control apps here.
- Periodically check the search and browser history on their phone.
- Set time limits with an app like Screen Time.
The goal is visibility, not secrecy. Make it clear you come from a place of guidance, not accusations, as you want to partner with them to make social media as positive an experience as possible.
What Should I Do if My Teen Can’t Stop Looking at Instagram?
If your teen seems constantly engrossed in Instagram beyond a healthy level, take the following proactive steps:
- Encourage open communication to uncover underlying motivations. For example, the need for popularity, Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO), loneliness, or insecurity.
- Discuss the potential impact of excessive app usage on well-being.
- Establish reasonable and realistic time restrictions with your teen.
- Recommend hobbies, sports, or creative outlets for offline engagement.
- Seek professional help if the overuse indicates significant dependence.
- Celebrate small victories and progress toward healthier habits.
As you engage your teenager, approach it as working it out together rather than them perceiving you are enforcing your laws onto them.
What are The Risks Associated with Teens Using Instagram?
Sony, a 16-year-old high school student, joined Instagram to connect with friends and share her life.
As she scrolled through her feed, Sony couldn’t help but notice her classmates showcasing perfect lives—flawless appearances, exciting social events, and attractive outfits.
Over time, the constant exposure to these feeds took a toll on Sony’s self-esteem. She began comparing herself to her peers, feeling inadequate, and struggling with body image issues.
The situation worsened when a group of classmates started leaving hurtful comments on Sony’s photos and making funny remarks.
The toxic online environment led to emotional distress, affecting Sony’s overall well-being and creating a negative impact on her formerly healthy relationships at school.
Sony’s story highlights the real-life risks associated with teens using Instagram. The following video further reveals how Instagram harms teens’ mental health.
Are There Benefits to My Teen Using Instagram?
While the risks dominate headlines, your teen can indeed find meaningful connections and self-discovery by engaging thoughtfully on Instagram.
Visual expression through photos or videos provides an important creative outlet, allowing teens to play with identity experimentation.
Instagram communities also unite users with niche interests to promote passion projects and hobbies beyond their core friend group.
For example, a teen passionate about photography can have an Instagram account for showcasing their photos. As a result, they may interact with experienced photographers who can help them solidify their skill or promote their portfolio.
The interactive platform also nurtures communication skills and digital literacy as teens practice presenting ideas to a wider audience.
Is Instagram for Your Teen or Not?
At the end of the day, deciding whether to allow your teen access to Instagram requires weighing risks and rewards on an individual basis.
As you consider the risks of inappropriate content, peer pressure, privacy concerns, and screen addiction against the benefits of self-expression, connectivity, and hobby cultivation, blanket permission or denial seems unwise.
Every teen’s capacity for responsible use is different. Rather than dictate access, have empathetic discussions about your particular teen’s maturity level and ability to exercise sound judgment.
Set boundaries collaboratively, not in an overly controlling manner. Social media shapes society now, so prepare your teen to consciously form their digital identity and manage online relationships while still guiding the formation of your core values.
Maintain open dialogue not just about Instagram but surrounding influences. This approach fosters critical thinking as teens find their voice.
ParenTeen Kenya offers one-on-one teen counseling sessions and parenting classes. Get in touch with us for more guidance on raising teens in this generation.
Images by Pexel and Unsplash
Jane Kariuki is a devout Christian, Clinician, Psychologist, and founder of ParenTeen Kenya. She authored an exceptional training manual used in her teens’ workshop and an instructional guidebook for her parenting classes. If she is not training, blogging, or counseling, Jane loves to spend time with her sweet husband and three children.