Instagram has announced a new initiative aimed at tackling cyberbullying in schools. The social media platform introduced Instagram Teen Accounts, designed to provide a safer experience for teenagers with parental guidance. These accounts include automatic protections against unwanted contact and inappropriate content.
In response to feedback from parents seeking more support against cyberbullying, particularly in school settings, Instagram is launching the School Partnership Program. This pilot program is available to all US middle and high schools and aims to assist educators in reporting potential safety issues directly to Instagram. The program was developed with input from the International Society for Technology in Education and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ISTE+ASCD).
Sameer Hinduja, PhD, Co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, highlighted research showing that only 13% of targeted youth report cyberbullying incidents to their schools due to perceived educator inaction. He stated: "Instagram’s new School Partnership program changes that. This system will now fast-track solutions that students and educators want to see."
The initiative seeks to involve teachers and educators alongside parents in helping teens navigate online spaces without distractions during school hours. D.J. Ashford, a teacher at Muwekma Ohlone Middle School, shared positive feedback on the partnership: “Within the first week of partnering with Instagram, we saw bullying and harassing posts and profiles taken down.”
Over the past year, Instagram collaborated with ISTE+ASCD to test this program with 60 schools, providing additional support for administrators regarding teen safety online. With promising results from these tests, enrollment is now open more broadly.
Schools participating as partners will benefit from prioritized reporting of violations against Instagram's Community Standards, receive educational resources for safe navigation on social media, and have an official partner profile banner indicating their collaboration with Instagram.
Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE+ASCD remarked: “Education leaders have made it clear that they need more control over social media in order to ensure a healthy digital culture in their schools.”
US middle and high schools can join the waitlist for this program by visiting specific sections within Instagram settings or by accessing about.instagram.com/community/educators for further details.