Instagram says teen accounts will only see PG-13 content

Teenagers who have Instagram accounts will be automatically restricted from seeing any content exceeding a PG-13 level, according to a Tuesday statement from the social media platform’s owner, Meta. Teen accounts will now, by default, see only content appropriate for a movie rated PG-13 or lower. Users under the age of 18 won’t be able to change the setting unless a parent signs off, Meta said. Instagram will also allow parents the option to enact even stricter content rules for teen accounts, if they wish.

How can a PG-13 rating guide social media content? Under the new teen filter, the content a teenager sees on Instagram would include what Meta deems to be typical for a PG-13 movie, including a limited amount of foul language and suggestive content. Instagram will keep in place a longstanding policy to prohibit or hide the recommendation of sexually suggestive content, tobacco and alcohol sales, and disturbing or graphic content from minors.

Meta also planned to enact an additional policy to block the algorithm from suggesting content with strong language and risky stunts. The algorithm will also not suggest videos with content that could encourage harmful behavior, such as videos with marijuana paraphernalia. The new guidelines apply to all content teens view on Instagram, including posts sent to teen users from other accounts. 

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s report on Instagram being named unsafe for teens by design.