Mar 30, 2026
By Ria Mirchandani Ria is a high school student and member of the ConnectSafely Youth Advisory Council. Editor’s Note: Inspired by the conversation at ConnectSafely’s January Youth Advisory Council meeting, Ria reflects on some of the topics discussed at the meeting...
Oct 14, 2025
by Larry Magid In a significant update to teen safety features, Instagram has announced that all users under 18 will now be placed into Teen Accounts that default to content roughly equivalent to a “PG-13” movie rating. The goal is to reduce teens’ exposure to mature...
Aug 28, 2025
This post first appeared in the Mercury News Instagram recently introduced a new feature called Instagram Map, designed to let you share your last active location with friends. Although it’s meant to help users feel more connected, the rollout has sparked confusion...
Oct 31, 2025
By Jacob Bryant Jacob is a college student and member of the ConnectSafely Youth Advisory Council. Social media and our online presence on it have been a way to grow and connect with others we might not normally have the opportunity to meet. There are different spaces...
Jun 26, 2025
by Larry Magid This post first appeared in the Mercury News When I first started writing about online safety back in the days of AOL and dial-up, the biggest concerns were porn and “stranger danger.” Today, the threats and opportunities facing young people...
Mar 18, 2025
Social media is a significant part of many teens’ lives, and Instagram is one of the most popular platforms they use to share photos, videos and messages. With features like Stories, Feed, Reels, Live and messaging, Instagram allows teens to celebrate milestones, stay...
