Instagram Tightens Controls on Teen Accounts with New Restrictions Instagram is implementing stricter settings for teen accounts, introducing new limits on the content young users can see on the platform. In a significant move, older teens will no longer have the option to opt out of these default, more protective settings without first getting approval from a parent. Meta initially launched these specialized teen accounts for Instagram a year ago. The system automatically places younger users into these more locked-down accounts, which come with enhanced privacy settings and parental supervision tools. The company has since expanded this feature to Facebook and Messenger and has employed AI technology to identify underage users who may have misrepresented their age. While these teen accounts were created to address persistent criticism regarding Meta’s approach to teen safety, advocates have frequently argued the measures are insufficient. A recent study from the safety group Heat Initiative concluded that young teens on Instagram continue to be exposed to unsafe content and receive unwanted messages at alarmingly high rates, even with teen accounts. Meta has publicly disputed these findings, labeling the report as deeply subjective. Now, Meta is further restricting teen accounts. The latest updates will prevent teens from following or viewing content from accounts that routinely share age-inappropriate material. Accounts will also be blocked if their bios or usernames suggest they are not suitable for a younger audience. Meta states it will also stop these accounts from appearing in teen recommendations and search results within the app. Instagram is also broadening its list of blocked search terms for teens. The platform will now restrict searches for a wider range of mature terms, including words like alcohol and gore. The filters will also target common intentional misspellings of these words, a well-known method used to bypass content filters. Furthermore, even if a teen already follows an account that then shares a post violating these new rules, the teen will be blocked from seeing that content, even if it is sent to them via direct message. Meta describes the goal of these changes as an effort to make the overall Instagram experience for teens more akin to a PG-13 movie. The company explained that while teens might occasionally encounter suggestive content or strong language, similar to what might be in a PG-13 film, it is committed to making such instances as rare as possible. This analogy, however, can be confusing given the broad range of content permissible in PG-13 films. Meta also notes that some of its rules are actually more restrictive than the movie rating, such as aiming to block all sexually suggestive content and images of near nudity, which can sometimes appear in films rated for 13-year-olds. For parents seeking even greater control, Instagram is introducing a new limited content setting. This option will filter even more content from a teen’s view, though Meta did not provide specific details on what additional material would be restricted. This setting will also completely prevent teens from accessing any comments on the platform, both on their own posts and on the posts of others. Additionally, Meta is testing a new reporting feature for parents who use the built-in parental controls. This tool will allow a parent to flag specific posts they find inappropriate, which will then prompt a review by Meta’s team. These updated safety features will be rolling out gradually to teen accounts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Meta has stated it plans to eventually introduce similar age-appropriate content protections for teens on Facebook as well.
