On Tuesday Instagram said it was launching a new set of tools and features to keep teenagers safe on the platform.

The announcement comes a day before the social media app is due to attend a US senate hearing into the impact of the platform on young people.

In September, the Wall Street Journal published a number of articles about the affect of apps like Instagram and Facebook on the mental health of teenagers. This included a report that revealed it had seen leaked internal documents, which the publication posted online , that show Instagram-owner Meta was aware that the platform is “toxic for teenage girls".

In a blog post, the company revealed it would be taking a “stricter” approach to what it recommends to teens on the app.

The platform will now stop people from tagging or mentioning young people that don’t follow them and nudge teens towards different topics if they have been focussed on one topic for a long time.

Instagram is also launching a ‘take a break’ feature in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The platform will also introduce tools for parents and guardians early next year. Parents will be able to see how much time their teens spend on Instagram and set time limits, they’ll also have access to a new educational hub.

"Every day I see the positive impact that Instagram has for young people everywhere," wrote head of Instagram Adam Mosseri. "I’m proud that our platform is a place where teens can spend time with the people they care about, explore their interests, and explore who they are.

"I want to make sure that it stays that way, which means above all keeping them safe on Instagram. We’ll continue doing research, consulting with experts, and testing new concepts to better serve teens."

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