Teens on Instagram will now be restricted to viewing only PG-13-rated content by default and will not be able to change their settings without parental permission, Meta announced on Tuesday.
This means children using teen-specific accounts will see photos and videos similar to those found in PG-13-rated films excluding depictions of sex, drugs, or dangerous stunts.
“This includes hiding or not recommending posts containing strong language, certain risky stunts, and additional content that may encourage potentially dangerous behaviour, such as posts showing marijuana paraphernalia,” Meta said in a blog post, describing the change as the most significant update since the introduction of teen accounts last year.
The company said it is also adding an even stricter setting that parents can configure for their children.
These changes come amid continued criticism of the platform over its impact on young users. Meta has pledged to strengthen protections for teens and already prohibits showing them inappropriate content, such as posts about self-harm, eating disorders, or suicide.
However, recent reports suggest that such safeguards have not always been effective. A study found that teen accounts created by researchers were being recommended age-inappropriate sexual content, including “explicit sexual descriptions, the use of cartoons to depict degrading sexual acts, and brief scenes of nudity.”
Additionally, Instagram recommended “a range of content related to self-harm, self-injury, and body image” that “could reasonably be expected to have harmful effects on young people, including adolescents with mental health conditions, self-harm, or suicidal ideation and behaviour,” the report stated.
Meta said the new restrictions go further than previous safeguards. Teens will no longer be able to follow accounts that frequently share age-inappropriate content or whose names or bios include material unsuitable for minors, such as links to OnlyFans. Existing teen followers of such accounts will lose access to their content and will be unable to interact with them, message them, or view their comments. Likewise, those accounts will be blocked from following, messaging, or commenting on teens’ posts.
The company added that it already blocks certain search terms related to sensitive topics such as suicide and eating disorders, but the latest update extends this measure to include a wider range of terms such as “alcohol” or “gore”, even when misspelled.
Meta also confirmed that the PG-13 restriction will apply to chats and AI experiences for teens, “meaning AIs shouldn’t give age-inappropriate responses that would be out of place in a PG-13-rated movie.”
For parents seeking stricter oversight, Meta is introducing a “Limited Content” setting that will block even more material and prevent teens from viewing, commenting on, or receiving comments on posts.
