Instagram has rolled out an innovative school partnership program designed to streamline the moderation process for reported content by verified school accounts. This new feature, tailored for middle and high schools across the United States, enables schools to report questionable posts or student accounts directly to Instagram, ensuring these concerns are given priority in the review process. Schools are also promptly informed about any actions that are taken as a result of these reports.
This initiative aims to empower educators by providing a more efficient way to address potential safety issues affecting teens, such as cyberbullying. Schools participating in this program will display a “school partner” banner on their Instagram profiles, showcasing their involvement. Moreover, Instagram will distribute valuable educational materials to help educators, parents, guardians, and students safely navigate the app.
The development of this program involved extensive trials over the past year with 60 schools and collaboration with the International Society for Technology in Education, as well as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. As the program goes live, other U.S. middle and high schools are invited to join a waitlist to participate.
This launch coincides with legislative efforts aimed at heightening online safety for young users. Notably, the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), which seeks to restrict social media access for children under 13, moved forward with approval from the Senate Committee on Commerce earlier this year. Additionally, the Senate has already passed complementary bills—the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)—to offer further protection.
Instagram remains committed to fostering a safer online environment for young people. The platform has previously introduced features such as private-by-default accounts for users under 16, enhanced messaging restrictions, and a suite of parental controls, all aimed at safeguarding the digital experiences of its youngest users.
