Instagram has expanded protection settings for its Teen Accounts which launched globally last year, limiting access to inappropriate content with a default 13+ setting for under 18s guided by PG-13 movies.
Parents who prefer more control can also choose a stricter "limited content" setting which removes the teens’ ability to see, leave, or receive comments under posts. Teens will not be able to change this setting without parental permission.
"We hope this update reassures parents that we’re working to show teens safe, age-appropriate content on Instagram by default, while also giving them more ways to shape their teen’s experience," said Mia Garlick, regional policy director at Meta.
"In addition to the new system rating, we’re using this improved technology across Instagram to deliver this experience. Now we’ll block teens’ ability to see content results for a wider range of mature search terms and teens will no longer be able to follow accounts that we’ve found regularly share age-inappropriate content."
Instagram says the platform uses age prediction technology to place teens under content protections, safeguarding from fake adult accounts.
Teens will no longer have access to inappropriate content across accounts, search, feed (and comments) and direct messaging.
The company’s policies have also been updated to hide and not recommend any posts with strong language, specific risky stunts, and other content that could promote potentially harmful behaviours.
And search blockages for inappropriate and sensitive terms have been expanded to include a wider range of mature search terms, such as "alcohol" or "gore", even if misspelled by the user.
Teens will not be able to click on links with inappropriate content sent to them.
These accounts will also not be able to follow teens, send messages or comment on their posts.
AI experiences have been updated to block age-inappropriate responses, guided by the PG-13 movie rating.
Parents can share feedback through regular surveys.
Instagram is testing how supervision tools can be used by parents to flag content that doesn’t align with its guidelines.
Feedback from market research company Ipsos and commissioned by Meta, revealed that 95% of US parents of teens say they think these updates are helpful and 90% said this will make it easier to understand the kind of content their teens are likely to consume.
The changes will start to launch in the US, UK, Australia and Canada today and will be fully rolled out by the end of the year.
Instagram is included in Australia's social media ban for under 16's which comes into effect 10 December. However, the 13+ setting will be applied to teens between 16 and 18.
Instagram plans to apply more of these protections to teens who claim to be adults, including on Facebook and expand age-appropriate protections.
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