Instagram introduces PG-13 guidelines for teen accounts
Instagram is rolling out a major update to its Teen Accounts, aligning its content policies with PG-13 movie ratings. The new approach aims to make the experience for users under 18 safer and more age-appropriate by default, while giving parents greater oversight and control, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports, citing Meta.
Under the new system, teens will see content comparable to what might appear in a PG-13 film, allowing for mild language or suggestive themes but limiting exposure to explicit or adult material. All users under 18 will automatically be placed in a “13+” setting, and they will not be able to disable it without parental consent.
Instagram said the decision to adopt PG-13 standards was based on feedback from thousands of parents worldwide who helped shape the update.
Stronger restrictions and AI oversight
The updated guidelines will block or reduce the visibility of posts containing strong language, risky stunts, or content that could promote harmful behaviors, such as images showing marijuana paraphernalia. Posts involving tobacco or alcohol, sexually suggestive material, or graphic imagery will continue to be hidden or excluded from recommendations.
Instagram is also expanding its use of age-prediction technology to detect when users attempt to bypass restrictions by misrepresenting their age. The company noted that the same PG-13 principles will guide its AI tools to ensure automated responses remain age-appropriate.
Teens will be prevented from following or interacting with accounts that frequently share age-inappropriate content, and those accounts will not be able to contact or comment on teens’ posts. Mature or sensitive search terms such as “alcohol” or “gore” will be blocked, even if misspelled, and filtered content will not appear in Explore, Reels, Feed, or Stories.
For families seeking tighter controls, Instagram is launching a new “Limited Content” option. This stricter mode will filter even more material from a teen’s feed and remove the ability to comment or receive comments on posts. It will also limit certain AI conversations. According to Meta, 96% of surveyed U.S. parents welcomed having this choice, whether or not they planned to use it.
The PG-13–based settings will begin rolling out immediately for Teen Accounts in the U.S., UK, Australia, and Canada, with full implementation expected by the end of 2025. Global expansion will follow, alongside new protections for teens who may have registered as adults and parallel updates to Facebook’s content settings.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that users under the age of 16 would no longer will be able to use the livestream feature without parental permission.
