Instagram will restrict

adults from sending direct messages to teens who don’t follow them.

The new feature is part of Instagram’s efforts to protect its youngest users from “unwanted contact from adults”, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

The feature will block

adults from messaging people under 18 years old who don’t follow them. The Facebook-owned

company said adults who attempt to do so will receive a notification that

sending the message is not an option.

It continued, “This feature relies on our work to predict

peoples’ ages using machine learning technology, and the age people give us

when they sign up. As we move to end-to-end encryption, we’re investing in

features that protect privacy and keep people safe without accessing the

content of DMs.”

Instagram said it will also send notices to teens to be

careful in conversations with adults they do follow, and also alert them to

adults who have shown possible suspicious behaviour such as sending numerous

friend requests to under-18 children.

The roll-out will begin in some countries in March as the

company hopes to have it available everywhere soon.