Instagram Parental Controls: Is Instagram Reels Safe for Kids? 2024
Instagram has just launched a new video-sharing feature called Instagram Reels. It resembles TikTok videos, so it’s very popular with teens and younger children. The video-sharing feature is so addictive that it is difficult for you to make your kids put down their phones. In addition, online predators are likely to hide behind these videos, and their target is your children. As a responsible parent, you can set up Instagram parental controls to ensure your children’s safety on Instagram Reels.
What Is Instagram Reels?
Reels are a new way to create and discover interesting short videos on Instagram. It invites you to create funny videos to share with your friends or anyone on Instagram. You can use audio, effects, and new creative tools to record and edit 15-second multi-cut videos. You can also share Reels with your followers on the feed.
Create and Discover Videos on Instagram
Instagram Reels allows you to create short videos up to 60 seconds long. It also lets you enhance your videos with various creative tools like audio, effects, and a powerful editing suite. Whether you’re showcasing your talent, sharing a quick tutorial, or simply capturing moments from your daily life, Reels has you covered.
Discovering content on Reels is also effortless. The Explore page on Instagram offers a dedicated section for Reels that is tailored to each user’s interests and preferences. This feature makes it easy to discover countless content from creators around the world.
Share Reels on Instagram With Your Friends
Sharing Reels with friends and followers is easy. Similar to Instagram Stories, Reels can be shared to your feed and displayed alongside your other posts, ensuring they get more exposure. In addition, Instagram allows you to cross-promote Reels on other platforms, expanding their reach beyond Instagram.
Like or Comment on Others’ Videos on Reels.
Engagement is at the heart of Instagram Reels. You can engage with Reels by liking videos, leaving comments, and sharing content with friends. This data not only helps you better understand your video’s audience but also informs your video content optimization, allowing you to improve your approach and maximize engagement rates.
Is Instagram Reels Safe for Your Kids?
First of all, due to the cute dance steps, funny dubbing, and other interesting content, Instagram Reels is very attractive for kids. They may want to use it as a way to communicate with online friends, which is not safe. In addition, you cannot control the content that may pop up in the feed or prevent your children from interacting with strangers through public videos. It is very dangerous for children to chat with strangers on the Internet. Therefore, setting up Instagram parental controls on kids’ phones is very important.
Online Predators
Reels, like other social media platforms, can attract individuals with malicious intent who may attempt to exploit children through private messages or deceptive profiles. If your child shares a Reel that may contain their personal information, such as the name of their school or home address, someone with ulterior motives may use this information to harm them.
Studies indicate that 1 in 5 children aged 10-17 have been solicited sexually online. Approximately 21% of teens have received messages with sexual content.
Privacy Leakage
Privacy breaches are another significant worry associated with social media platforms, including Instagram Reels. Children may unknowingly share sensitive information such as their location, school details, or personal photos in their videos or comments, and people with ulterior motives may use this information to harm children.
Research by Common Sense Media indicates that 72% of children have their data shared by apps and websites, often without parental consent.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying remains a widespread problem on social media platforms, and Instagram Reels is not immune to this threat. Negative comments, hurtful memes, or targeted harassment can have a negative impact on a child’s mental and emotional well-being. To prevent your child from becoming a victim of cyberbullying, you should monitor their online activities by setting up Instagram parental controls on Android phones and take action when necessary to protect their safety.
Set Up Instagram Parental Controls to Keep Kids Safe on Instagram Reels?
It is the responsibility of every parent to ensure the safety of their children online, not only physically but also psychologically. There are several ways to ensure the safety of your kids on Instagram Reels. Check the following proven ways:
Discuss with Your Kids
One of the best measures to protect your children from any form of bullying is to discuss it with them. Tell your children what the Instagram Reels feature is and how to use it properly. Tell them not to show their personal information and locations in their videos.
Make Clear Rules for Your Kids
Develop clear rules for your children to use social apps so that they will know what is allowed and what is strictly prohibited. Tell them that if they see pornographic or adult content, they should tell you first instead of sharing it with friends or others.
Set Up the Built-in Parental Controls on Your Children’s Phones
Both Android and Apple devices provide a variety of parental control features that can help you ensure your children’s online safety. Check the following two links to set up Instagram parental controls on Instagram to keep your kids safe.
- How to Set up iPhone Parental Controls for Instagram?
- How to Set up Android Parental Controls for Instagram?
Use A Parental Control App
To protect your kids from online dangers, you can use a parental control app to monitor their online activities. iKeyMonitor spy app allows you to monitor your children’s Instagram activities remotely. If you find inappropriate content on their Instagram Reels, you can take immediate steps to protect them.
Monitor Instagram with iKeyMonitor Parental Control App
There are many videos containing adult content and child predators on Instagram Reels. Your children may imitate this inappropriate content or be tempted by strangers. You need to take steps to keep your kids safe on Instagram Reels. If you are looking for a free parental control tool, then the Family Link app is a good choice. If you need a powerful app with multiple monitoring features, you can try iKeyMonitor. It provides a free plan for you to use before purchasing.
Social Media Monitoring
iKeyMonitor allows you to monitor your child’s activities on Instagram. This includes sending and receiving chat messages, audio and video calls, sharing photos and videos, and screenshots. It also allows you to track all online activities on other social media chat platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, Kik, wechat, and more.
Keyword Alerts
One of the features of iKeyMonitor is it allows you to set specific keywords that may indicate concerning behaviors or topics, such as bullying, drugs, or explicit content. If these keywords are detected in posts, comments, or messages, iKeyMonitor sends alerts to you so that you can take action and address potential issues before they escalate.
Listen to Phone Surroundings
In addition to monitoring Instagram activity, iKeyMonitor offers advanced features such as the ability to listen to phone surroundings. This feature can be particularly useful for ensuring children’s safety in various situations. By remotely activating the device’s microphone, parents can listen to the surrounding environment and assess if their child is in a safe and appropriate location.
More highlights:
- Log SMS text messages
- Record phone calls
- Track GPS and geofencing
- Limit screen time
- Block specific apps/games
- Watch the phone screen in real-time
The iKeyMonitor parental control app provides a range of excellent monitoring features that are designed to help you implement Instagram parental controls. By utilizing features such as social media monitoring, keyword alerts, and phone ambient monitoring, you can actively protect your children from potential online risks such as sexual predators, cyberbullying, online crime, and more.
Conclusion
Setting up Instagram parental controls or using third-party apps like iKeyMonitor to monitor Instagram activity can ensure that children are not exposed to inappropriate content when sharing videos with Instagram Reels. In addition, iKeyMonitor’s app also allows you to manage screen time, block explicit content, and monitor the phone’s ambient sound in real-time. In this way, you can keep track of your children’s online status in real-time and provide timely help when needed.
Tags: ensure the safety of your kids on Instagram Reels, Instagram Reels, is Instagram Reels safe, keep your kids safe on Instagram Reels, parental control app, what is Instagram Reels
Category: Parental Control Tips