Instagram's 'woefully ineffective' safety tools still put children at risk, says Meta whistleblower

Findings from the test accounts included that adults were easily able to message teenagers who do not follow them, despite this being supposedly blocked in teen accounts

Arturo Béjar said although Meta 'consistently makes promises' about how its teen accounts protect children from 'sensitive or harmful content, inappropriate contact, harmful interactions' and give control over use, these safety tools are mostly 'ineffective, unmaintained, quietly changed, or removed'. File picture: PA

Children and teenagers are still at risk from online harm on Instagram despite the roll-out of “woefully ineffective” safety tools, according to research led by a Meta whistleblower.

Two-thirds (64%) of new safety tools on Instagram were found to be ineffective, according to a comprehensive review led by Arturo Béjar, a former senior engineer at Meta who testified against the company before US Congress, New York University and Northeastern University academics, and other groups.