For years Instagram has been the #1 social media platform for child grooming for sexual abuse through direct messages. However, Instagram and Facebook Messenger now allow users to block direct messages, also known as DMs, from those you don't follow.
This is a huge a step towards protecting children online! Protect Young Eyes posted a quick visual tutorial on Instagram that will show how to activate this long overdue feature for your kids.
Before initiating the feature on your child's phone, talk with your child about the direct messages they have received in the past. Have they ever received a direct message from someone they do not follow? Was the message opened? What became of the online interaction? Ongoing conversations about social media use and consumption are essential to your children learning online safety while living in your home.
This new feature is a great advance in protecting children on Instagram and Facebook Messenger and offers an opportunity to reinforce online safety with your children.