Instagram Teen Accounts Now Guided by PG-13 Ratings: See How Your Teen’s Experience Will Be Safer and More Age-Appropriate

Instagram has announced a major upgrade to its Teen Accounts, allowing parents to have more control over what their children are watching and interacting with in the app. The meta-owned app has introduced PG-13 guided content settings to ensure that teens are only interacting with age-appropriate content by default.

Under this update, Teens who are below 18 will automatically be placed in the updated 13+ settings, and even if they want to opt out, they will be required to obtain parental permission. The platform is bringing these changes with an aim to align its content policies with the PG-13 movie ratings and provide a safer environment to younger users.

Here’s What’s New in Teen Accounts

Restrict Content That’s Inappropriate for Teens

The new policy on Instagram will now restrict content that’s inappropriate for teens. The updated 13+ settings will hide and limit exposure to sexually suggestive content, graphics, or disturbing images. Additionally, adult substances like tobacco, alcohol, strong language, risky stunts, videos encouraging harmful behaviors, drugs, and more will also be restricted.

Instagram is also introducing age prediction technology on the platform to maintain protections even when teens are trying to bypass restrictions. This will ensure a consistent and secure experience on the app. Instagram collected thousands of feedback from worldwide families so that the company can refine its policies.

Instagram is Expanding Protections Across the Platform

Accounts:

The update will not allow Teens to follow accounts that regularly share age-inappropriate content. These accounts will not be able to send DM’s or comment or interact with Teens.

Search:

Sensitive terms like suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, and more will remain blocked. Other than this, additional mature terms like alcohol and gore will also be restricted.

Content Experience:

Teens will also not receive inappropriate content recommendations, feeds, stories, or comments on their accounts. Links sent via DMs will be inaccessible if they violate guidelines.

AI Interactions:

Instagram’s AI responses are also guided by the PG-13 standard, and hence, it will ensure age-appropriate engagement for Teens.

Limited Content for Extra Parental Control

Instagram recognized that some parents want stricter controls, and hence, the platform introduced ‘Limited Content’ settings. This feature restricts content exposure and blocks teens from leaving or receiving comments. In addition, it also limits AI interactions.

Rollout Timeline

The new Teen Account settings are currently rolling out in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. The full deployment will take place by the end of the year. The company plans on expanding the settings gradually globally.