Instagram sets PG‑13 default for teen accounts
Instagram (Meta) is setting teen accounts to a PG‑13 default and will block teens from following, seeing or interacting with accounts that regularly post age‑inappropriate content or include age‑inappropriate items in their bio (for example, links to OnlyFans); those accounts also will be prevented from following, messaging, or commenting on teen accounts. The platform is expanding blocked search terms beyond self‑harm and eating‑disorder language to broader categories such as "alcohol" and "gore" (including misspellings), calls the change its most significant teen‑safety update since launching teen accounts, notes teen accounts are private by default with existing filters, and is adding a "Limited Content" parental setting that can remove teens’ ability to see, leave, or receive comments.
📌 Key Facts
- Instagram will default teen accounts to PG-13 content to limit exposure to more mature material.
- Teens will be blocked from following accounts that regularly post age-inappropriate content or include age-inappropriate items in their bio (e.g., links to OnlyFans); such accounts also cannot follow or DM teens.
- If teens already follow those accounts, they will lose the ability to see or interact with their content, message them, or see their comments, and those accounts cannot comment on teens’ posts.
- Blocked search terms are expanding beyond self-harm and eating-disorder terms to a broader range (for example, "alcohol" and "gore") and will be filtered even when misspelled.
- Meta calls this its most significant teen-safety update since launching teen accounts last year; teen accounts remain private by default and already include filters (for example, for cosmetic procedure promotions).
- A new "Limited Content" parental setting can remove teens’ ability to see, leave, or receive comments under posts, a more specific constraint than previously described.
📰 Sources (2)
- Teens will be blocked from following accounts that regularly post age‑inappropriate content or include age‑inappropriate items in their bio (e.g., links to OnlyFans); such accounts also cannot follow or DM teens.
- If teens already follow these accounts, they will lose the ability to see or interact with their content, message them, or see their comments; and those accounts cannot comment on teens’ posts.
- Blocked search terms are expanding beyond self‑harm/eating disorders to a broader range (e.g., 'alcohol', 'gore') and will be filtered even when misspelled.
- Meta describes the change as its most significant teen‑safety update since launching teen accounts last year, and highlights that teen accounts are private by default with existing filters (e.g., cosmetic procedure promotions).
- The new 'Limited Content' parental setting can remove teens’ ability to see, leave, or receive comments under posts (a more specific constraint than previously described).