Instagram expands teen content restrictions internationally

On Thursday, Instagram announced that it is expanding its content restrictions for teen accounts internationally. This follows an announcement last October, when the platform disclosed plans to restrict content for teen accounts in countries including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Under the expansion, the company is applying these guidelines internationally, which limit exposure to themes like violence and graphic drug use. The update introduces a new setting called Limited Content that has stricter content filters for teen accounts. According to the company, while these controls are designed to limit certain material, teens may occasionally see suggestive content or strong language on Instagram, but the company is committed to keeping those instances as rare as possible.

The international expansion comes after Meta, the parent company of Instagram, faced significant legal pressure. Courts in New Mexico and Los Angeles held Meta accountable for harming teens. According to court filings, the company has been scrutinized for prioritizing product growth while ignoring teen mental health. Court filings also revealed that Meta waited for years to roll out a feature like automatically blurring explicit images in direct messages while being aware of the issue for years. In response to these challenges, the company has introduced new controls and limits, which could potentially reduce harm for teen users.

The restrictions were previously connected to movie rating standards. When Meta first rolled out these restrictions, it marketed them as PG 13-inspired limits, referencing the 13+ movie rating age. However, the Motion Picture Association sent a cease-and-desist letter regarding the branding, demanding that Meta stop using the term. Meta has since shifted its messaging, acknowledging that there are differences between movies and social media. In a blog post, the company stated: “Just like you might see some suggestive content or hear some strong language in a movie rated for ages 13+, teens may occasionally see something like that on Instagram, but we’re going to keep doing all we can to keep those instances as rare as possible. We recognise no system is perfect, and we’re committed to improving over time”

Why it matters

The expansion of content restrictions for teens internationally follows legal scrutiny in New Mexico and Los Angeles regarding Meta’s impact on teen mental health and safety.