• Instagram to alert parents if teens search for suicide or self-harm content.
• The alerts will notify parents enrolled in supervision settings about repeated searches.
• Criticism arises from mental health advocates regarding the potential negative impact of alerts.
• Meta plans to roll out these notifications next week in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.
• Governments are considering tighter social media regulations to protect younger users.

Meta's Instagram announced a new safety feature that will alert parents if their teenage children repeatedly search for terms related to suicide or self-harm within a short timeframe. This initiative is part of a broader effort to mitigate concerns surrounding the impact of social media on mental health among young users, particularly as pressure mounts on companies to enhance child safety online. The alerts will begin rolling out next week in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, according to CBS News, BBC, and Reuters.

Parents utilizing Instagram's child supervision tools will receive notifications via various methods, including email, text, and the Instagram app. Unlike previous measures that only blocked searches and redirected users to external resources, this proactive alert system aims to keep parents informed of their child's online activity concerning dangerous content. Meta highlighted that the alerts include expert resources to aid parents in handling sensitive discussions about mental health, according to BBC and Reuters.