Instagram Teen Controls, Snapchat and DMEXCO 2024
Instagram Introducing Stricter Teen Controls
Under mounting pressure around how the tech giants are targeting teens in a bid to increase social media usage, Instagram has announced that they are introducing Teen Accounts to enhance safety for users under 18. Meta says these new measures will provide built-in protections and greater parental control.
Key features include default private accounts, strict messaging restrictions, sensitive content controls, and a time limit with notifications to encourage breaks after 60 minutes of daily use. Teens under 16 will need parental permission to change any settings, and parents can monitor activity, set time limits, and block Instagram access at certain times.
This change follows growing demands for stricter online regulations, with Australia planning to introduce legislation that would increase the minimum age for accessing social media to between 14 and 16. Similarly, Ireland has been calling for enhanced safety measures for teenagers on social platforms.
As a result of this, advertisers in Ireland will need to adapt their strategies to create age-appropriate, family-friendly content that appeals to both teens and their parents while staying within Instagram’s new guidelines. This shift emphasizes responsible marketing and ensures that campaigns are aligned with Instagram's commitment to teen safety.
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Snapchat Roles Out New Features
Snapchat has announced a number of exciting new features during their annual partner summit. These new features aim to enhance the user experience and expand its augmented reality (AR) offerings. The changes to the Snapchat app include:
Redesign the Interface: Snapchat are testing a simpler app design which will provide users with more seamless user experience through various shortcuts and content recommendations based on interests. The addition of features such as HD video calls, ‘snap mail’ their own version of a voicemail and displaying local time zones in stream will make it easier for users to connect with friends.
AI powered features: New AI features will allow users to generate images of themselves in future and share with friends. The already existing ‘My AI’ feature has more advanced capabilities such as interpreting parking signs, translating menus, and identifying plants.
Creator tools: The number of creators posting publicly on the platform has more than tripled over the past year. Snapchat are keen to keep this momentum going and encourage even more users to post publicly. A new feature will enable younger users to create a public-facing profile, as opposed to only a private one.
Snap Star Collab Studio: The launch of this feature aims to facilitate more brand/influencer partnerships. Creators can display their engagement and demographic data to brands.
In another new feature update, Snapchat announced the launch of the next version of its AR glasses. The 5th Generation spectacles offer hand tracking and snaps spatial engine which is supported by a new operating system. Snapchat could be under pressure as meta have recently unveiled its first version of AR glasses. The Meta glasses named Orion will have the ability to project digital representations of media, people, games and communications on to the real world. Meta have framed the product as a step away from desktop computers and smartphones into eyewear that can do the same thing.
All these new features will aim to bring more users to the platform and to make it easier for advertisers to collaborate with the growing creator base on the site. These collaborations have become ever more prominent on other social platforms so it will be interesting to see if that translates to Snapchat.
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AI Features Heavily at DMEXCO
DMEXCO, Europe’s largest digital marketing & tech event took place in Cologne on September 18th & 19th. The event had over 40,000 visitors from all over the globe from over 90 countries.
The main focus from Google & Microsoft this year saw them aiming to reassure the audience of their plans involving AI, while social platforms came from a different angle – outlining the safety aspects of their platforms. A common thought regarding Artificial intelligence is the entity being a threat to people’s job – at the summit, Microsoft VP of Global Sales Amanda Richman conveyed the sense that Microsoft is approaching AI as a Partner rather than means to replace workers. With this, Richman stressed the importance of “responsible AI Standards” through strict policies regarding the technology.
There was a clear focus during the summit to talk up AI in all aspects – as Google’s VP of Search & Commerce Brendon Kraham noted the major improvement in capability AI has seen in the last two years, with efficiency having increased by over 100%. While Microsoft’s James Murray, global lead for GenAI, highlighted the technology’s goal to enhance search activity to make it more personalised and pervasive, making it a go-to for users when they need complex queries answered with efficiency and accuracy.
During this year’s DMEXCO, the focus on optimisation was evident – with their motto “optimising the future” capturing the event’s focus on AI-Driven transformation. AI is no longer just a buzzword but rather it is steadily becoming a vital part of automating processes and delivering hyper-personalised media experiences.
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