Teenagers on Instagram will be limited to seeing PG-13 rated content by default and will not be able to change their settings without parental permission, Meta announced Tuesday.
This means that children using teen-specific accounts will see photos and videos on Instagram similar to those they would see in a PG-13 rated movie, i.e., without sex, drugs or dangerous stunts, among other things.
"This includes hiding or not recommending posts containing coarse language, certain risky stunts and additional content that may encourage potentially dangerous behavior, such as posts showing marijuana paraphernalia," Meta said in a blog post Tuesday, calling the update the most significant since the introduction of teen accounts last year.
The company is also adding an even stricter setting that parents can configure for their children.
These changes come as the social media giant faces relentless criticism regarding the dangers it poses to children. As part of its efforts to strengthen protections for teenagers, Meta has already pledged not to show them inappropriate content , such as posts about self-harm, eating disorders, or suicide.
But this doesn't always work. A recent report, for example, revealed that teenage accounts created by researchers were being recommended sexual content inappropriate for their age, including "explicit sexual descriptions, the use of cartoons to depict degrading sexual acts, and brief scenes of nudity . "
In addition, Instagram also recommended a "series of content related to self-harm, self-inflicted injuries and body image" on teen accounts that, according to the report, "would reasonably be likely to have adverse effects on young people, including teens with mental health conditions, self-harm or suicidal ideation and behavior" .
Meta says the new restrictions go further than its previous safeguards. Teenagers will no longer be able to follow accounts that regularly share "age-inappropriate content" or whose name or bio contains elements inappropriate for teens, such as a link to an OnlyFans account . If teens already follow these accounts, they will no longer be able to see or interact with their content, send them messages, or see their comments on anyone's posts, the company said. These accounts will also be unable to follow the teens, send them private messages, or comment on their posts.
Meta said it already blocks certain search terms related to sensitive topics such as suicide and eating disorders, but the latest update will extend this measure to a wider range of terms, such as "alcohol" or "gore" , even if they are misspelled.
The PG-13 update will also apply to chats and artificial intelligence experiences aimed at teenagers, Meta said, "meaning AIs should not give age-inappropriate answers that would be out of place in a PG-13 rated film . "
For parents who want an even stricter framework for their children, Meta is also launching a "limited content" restriction that will block more content and prevent teenagers from seeing, leaving or receiving comments under posts.
