Supervision · 2022
Instagram
I led the team that defined, positioned, and shipped parental supervision for Meta's family of apps.
My role:
Content STO, information architecture, facial age proof of concept, app leads alignment
Problem 1
In 2021, Meta faced intense public scrutiny around teen safety on Instagram. The app needed supervision tools that balanced teen autonomy with parental oversight.
How do we give parents meaningful oversight without making teens feel surveilled?
Process
USE CASES
Inappropriate content: Reduce exposure to violating or inappropriate content.
Unwanted contact: Protect teens from harmful or unwanted interactions.
Problematic use: Support teen well-being by reducing known problematic behaviors.
Insights
1) Strong tension between teen autonomy and parental control.
2) Instagram had to close the gaps in stated age to provide safer default experiences.
Problem 2
Younger users obfuscate their age and don't have government IDs.
Can we position facial age verification method successfully enough for people to use it?
Outcomes
1) 90% of parents would continue supervising their teen on Instagram
2) 47% of supervision users were new to Instagram, with higher retention rates
3) Scaled facial age recognition method to Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp
4) In 2024, broader defaults became Instagram Teen Accounts