Instagram doesn’t ask for your birthday so that others can see it. They ask for privacy and safety reasons. You must be at least 13 years old to have an Instagram account. Instagram asks for your birthday to verify that you are old enough to use their service.
Besides asking for verification, Instagram also requests your date of birth to make sure that your usage of the app is age-appropriate.
Here are some of the ways your experience on Instagram changes based on how old you are while using the app:
Advertisements
If you’re under 18 years of age, Instagram will limit the way companies try to reach out to you. Instead of targeting you based on very personal details, like interests and app activity, minors on the app will be targeted based on:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
Warning Screens
Instagram limits the visibility on posts with sensitive content. If you haven’t shared your birthday information with Instagram, you’ll have to input your birthday to see the post.
Privacy
If you are under 16 years of age, Instagram automatically sets your account to private, though the option to change it to public is always available.
Messages
Account holders over 18 cannot message account holders under 16 years old unless the minor follows them.
Conclusion
Instagram takes its user privacy very seriously. Asking for your birthday when you sign up or as you’re looking at pictures is a way to protect its users – and especially minors. Even if the Instagram account is for an animal, a brand, or a business, Instagram wants to make sure that the person with access to the app can feel safe while browsing.
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