Parents Guide to Blocking Instagram on a Child's devices
Prevent a child from using Instagram either permanently or temporarily
If you are trying to restrict access to Instagram for a child, you might have tried deleting the app only to find that it's too easy to reinstall and use it again.
It's also possible to access the Instagram app from a web browser like Google Chrome, so effectively blocking Instagram isn't always straightforward.
Blocking techniques also vary depending on the devices your child uses.
In this guide, we'll walk you through exactly how to block Instagram using approaches that work for parents managing a child's devices. We'll also go through strategies for permanent or temporary Instagram restriction and we'll explore approaches that work on each device.
Is it worth completely restricting your child from accessing Instagram?
Here are a few of our top reasons why you might block Instagram, restricting your child from accessing it entirely:
Inappropriate Instagram profiles can be difficult to filter out
Instagram profiles are often used to advertise adult content either subtly or blatantly. This can be a particular problem if you are trying to prevent your child from seeking out or accidentally finding adult content.
Instagram might suggest inappropriate content
Instagram might suggest images or videos that you'd rather prevent your child from seeing. Even if parental control preferences are adjusted to hide obvious explicit content, Instagram might still suggest content that can be a "stumbling block" for your child.
Connecting strangers
The Instagram feed includes posts and reels from strangers, not just friends and connections. It's possible for strangers on Instagram to private message your child.
Alternatives to completely blocking Instagram for your child
Depending on your reasons for wanting to block your child from using Instagram, you might find that there are alternative approaches you can use so that your child can still use Instagram:
Increase transparency around Instagram use
Many of the issues surrounding Instagram can be addressed by increasing transparency around a person's use of it by using a screen monitoring app. With this approach, a person can have some additional freedom to use platforms that might be problematic without transparency.
Customize preferences for problematic Instagram features
It's possible to customize the Instagram account preferences to minimize the impact of some of the most problematic features of the app. For example, you can customize profile visibility, and content & communication preferences.
Schedule Instagram use
Another approach is to schedule when Instagram is blocked so that your child can still use it sometimes on devices. You can limit access to the app to specific times of the day where you are able to supervise their use of Instagram. For example, you might choose to only allow Instagram in the morning before school, but block it at night.
Choosing the right approach for restricting a child from using Instagram
In order to provide you with the best possible guide, we need to consider a few things to direct you to the most effective way to block Instagram on a child's device.
What devices does your child have access to?
We'll discuss some universal blocking approaches in this guide, but the advice will vary based on the devices you are trying to restrict your child from accessing Instagram. See the following guides for a more specific approach:
Block Instagram on a child's iPhone or iPad
Block Instagram on a child's Android device
Enable a DNS Content Policy
We recommend setting up a DNS Content Policy on the Unknown, which gives you more control over Instagram and other content. For example, you can use a default-deny approach to block all social media apps other than the ones you know to be safe. You can also schedule access to Instagram so that it's only available during certain times of the day.
Using Instagram's time management feature
Instagram provides a built-in parental control feature called Family Center so that you can set up Supervised Teen accounts. This gives you a bit more control over your teen's usage of the app. You can learn more about this in Instagram parents guide.
Set up Family Center
On your own Instagram, go to your account settings and find the Family Center section > Supervision for Teen accounts. Invite your Teen to join the Family Center.
Set up Daily Limits
Using Family Center, manage your Teen and set up time management. Specify a daily limit and choose to either remind your teen when they approach the limit or enforce a hard limit by automatically blocking instagram.
Set up Sleep Mode
In the same time management section, customize sleep mode so that your teen doesn't receive notifications from the app during the specified days/times.
Instagram's teen supervision features can help in reducing your teen's usage of Instagram by providing a cross-devie way to block Instagram automatically based on time limits. However, keep in mind that Family Center is voluntary and not enforceable. If your teen is determined to use the app, they can bypass Family Center.
Block Instagram from a Child's device with a DNS Content Policy
A universal approach that can be used to block Instagram for any person or Unknown is to use a DNS Content Policy
This approach disables the internet access for Instagram so that it can't function. The app can still be downloaded, but it will not work.
Here's how it works:
Add a new block rule
In the Tech Lockdown dashboard, go to the Content Policy section and add a new block rule with Instagram selected
Customize the schedule
Select a schedule if you want to only block Instagram on specific recurring days and times. Otherwise, leave the schedule blank to block Instagram 24/7.
Specify who the rule applies to
Select an audience if you want to only block Instagram from specific people. Otherwise, leave the audience blank to block Instagram from everyone.
Connect Devices
Go to the Devices section of the Tech Lockdown dashboard and follow the setup instructions to connect devices to the Content Policy
Optional: Lock your Tech Lockdown Profile
If you are self-restricting access to Instagram, you can lock your Tech Lockdown profile so that you have to wait a certain amount of time before you can unblock Instagram.