COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is urging parents to enroll in Instagram’s parental supervision tools as the social media platform gears up to launch a new alert system aimed at addressing teen mental-health concerns.
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The new alert system, which launches next week, will notify enrolled parents if their teen repeatedly searches for terms related to suicide or self-harm within a short period of time.
In a release, Yost said the tool gives parents “a window into warning signs that might otherwise go unseen.”
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Yost added that the alerts can be used as an opportunity to talk openly with their kids about both mental health and online activity.
The alerts are also designed to help parents access resources to help guide their conversations with their children.
Yost’s office said the social media platform already blocks searches clearly associated with suicide and self-harm while directing users to crisis resources. The new alerts are another layer of protection.
More information on the alerts and how to enroll in the supervision tool can be found here.
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