Instagram expands content guidelines to protect teen accounts

Meta is expanding its Instagram content policies to protect teen accounts—largely guided by PG-13 content guidelines that add a sense of familiarity for parents.

According to Message from the editors of Meta, any accounts under 18 will be automatically placed in the updated 13+ account style and will not be able to opt out without parental permission.

Meta also noted that it is introducing new, stricter settings for parents who want what the social media giant calls a more “restrictive experience.” Based on screenshots posted by the platform, this option is labeled “Restricted Content.” The intermediate setting, which focuses on more PG-13 settings, is labeled “Ages 13+”, and the over 18+ style setting for older teens is labeled “More Content”.

Introduced last year, teen accounts added layers of protection, including restrictions on who can contact them, what content teens can view and how much time they spend on the app.

Including new PG-13 content settings, Meta also expanded protections for teen accounts that include restrictions on who teens can follow, what they can search for (alcohol and gore are examples), and even updated Meta AI to not provide results for anything rated higher than PG-13 if prompted.

Instagram accounts that teens will no longer be able to mention are those that, according to the platform, “regularly share age-inappropriate content,” or if their information suggests the creator is posting inappropriate content.

Mehta added that, as with the PG-13 guidelines, teens with an active 13+ setting may see some suggestive content or hear some strong language. Meta also acknowledged that no system is perfect and that sometimes stronger content slips through.

Last month, Instagram announced that the platform would use AI to identify which adult accounts are being used by teensby training your model to determine the dates of account creation and user interaction. on account.