Meta announced on Tuesday that teenagers using Instagram will now be limited to PG-13 content by default, and they won’t be able to change the setting without parental consent.
The new restriction means teens will only see photos and videos similar to what would be allowed in a PG-13 movie — excluding sex, drugs, strong language, or dangerous stunts. “This includes hiding or not recommending posts with strong language, risky stunts, or content that promotes harmful behavior,” Meta said in a blog post, calling the change its biggest update since launching teen accounts last year.
Parents will also be able to apply an even stricter “limited content” mode that further blocks sensitive posts and restricts interactions such as comments and messages.
The move follows mounting criticism over Instagram’s impact on young users’ mental health. Despite Meta’s previous promises to protect teens from harmful content, reports found that teen accounts were still being recommended sexual or self-harm-related material.
Under the new system, teens won’t be able to follow or interact with accounts that share explicit or inappropriate content, including those linked to adult platforms like OnlyFans. Meta will also expand its list of blocked search terms to include words such as “alcohol” or “gore,” even if misspelled.
