October 14,2025
RED FM News Desk
Instagram is tightening its content restrictions for teens, aligning its “Teen Accounts” settings with PG-13 movie standards in Meta’s latest safety update.
The Meta-owned platform introduced Teen Accounts last year as its most significant step yet to protect young users, after facing years of criticism from parents and lawmakers over the app’s impact on teens’ mental health. These accounts automatically applied stricter privacy and content filters, limiting exposure to posts about violence, cosmetic procedures, or self-harm.
The latest update goes even further. Instagram will now reduce the visibility—or even hide—posts that include strong language or promote risky or harmful behaviors, such as dangerous stunts or drug use, Meta said.
Teen users will also be blocked from following accounts that consistently share age-inappropriate content. If they already follow such accounts, they will lose access to that content and be unable to message or interact with those users. In addition, Instagram will expand its list of banned search terms for teens, including words like “alcohol” and “gore.” Meta’s AI chatbot will also be restricted from giving responses that would be considered inappropriate for a PG-13 audience.
“Just like a PG-13 movie might contain mild suggestive content or some strong language, teens may occasionally encounter similar things on Instagram—but we’re working to make those moments as rare as possible,” Meta said in a blog post.
The update follows growing concerns about the effectiveness of Instagram’s existing teen protections. A recent report from online safety and child advocacy groups found that nearly 60% of 13- to 15-year-olds using teen account settings had encountered unsafe content or unwanted messages in the past six months. Meta disputed the findings, saying the study ignored the many teens who have positive experiences on the platform.
Earlier this year, Reuters and The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta’s AI chatbot had engaged in flirtatious or romantic exchanges with young users. Meta responded by tightening its AI interaction limits for teens and restricting which AI characters they can access.
The move also comes as more governments consider limiting or banning teen access to social media. For example, Denmark announced plans to prohibit social media use for children under 15, allowing parents to approve access for teens aged 13 and older.
Meta said the new restrictions respond to parent requests for clearer rules and greater control over their children’s online experiences. However, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) clarified that it was not involved in Meta’s decision, saying: “We welcome any effort to protect kids from inappropriate content, but Instagram’s PG-13 comparison has no formal connection to our rating system.”
The new PG-13-style settings will automatically apply to all users under 18. Teens can revert to previous settings only with parental approval if their accounts are linked. The update began rolling out Tuesday in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada, with global expansion planned in the coming months.
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