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Instagram to Automatically Filter Teen Feeds with New PG-13 Standard

by admin477351

Instagram has announced it will now automatically filter the feeds of its teenage users according to a new standard it compares to the PG-13 movie rating. The policy, from parent company Meta, represents a significant shift towards a more protected default experience for users under 18.

The core of this new approach is a “13+” setting that will be enabled for all teen accounts without requiring any action from the user. This “opt-in to less safety” model is a key change, as it places the burden on teens to request and receive parental permission to see a less filtered version of the platform.

The PG-13 standard will expand the categories of restricted content. It will specifically target posts containing profanity and dangerous stunts, in addition to content that promotes harmful behaviors, such as featuring drug paraphernalia. Search functionality will also be limited for certain sensitive terms.

This new system is being introduced in the shadow of a highly critical report from independent researchers and a former Meta employee, which argued that the platform’s current safety tools were inadequate. While Meta disputed the findings, this move is a clear effort to demonstrate a more proactive stance on teen safety.

The rollout will begin in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, followed by a global expansion. However, safety advocates remain cautious. The Molly Rose Foundation, for example, noted that Meta’s announcements often don’t lead to meaningful change and called for independent verification to ensure these updates are effective.

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