In June, Indian actor Hiten Tejwani told his 732,000 followers that “Instagram is okay” in a reel promoting Meta’s Teen Accounts. Ironically, Tejwani had barred his 17-year-old twin son and daughter from using social media until they turned 16.
The reel was made after a Zoom call with Meta representatives, who explained what their campaign endorsed. Teen Accounts, launched in 2024, gives 13- to 16-year-olds private accounts, screen-time limits, and age-appropriate content. Tejwani, who was paid for the campaign but did not disclose the amount, told Rest of World that he agreed to participate because he saw it as an effort to inform parents rather than encourage every child to join social media.
There has been a global rise in the number of such reels in recent months, as Meta pursues influencer campaigns promoting Teen Accounts, particularly in countries that are mulling a social media ban for children under 16, according to a recent report by Tech Transparency Project, a Washington-based research organization.
Meta is using parent influencers to both soften its image and fight back against the existential threat of social media bans for kids under 16, Katie Paul, director of Tech Transparency Project, told Rest of World.
