Meta aligns Instagram teen accounts with PG-13 movie ratings

Meta has announced a significant update to its content settings for Instagram teen accounts, establishing the PG-13 movie rating as the default standard for content guidance. This move is designed to ensure that users under 18 encounter content that aligns with the maturity level of a typical PG-13 film.

Teens on Instagram will now be automatically placed into an updated 13+ content setting. Crucially, those under 18 will be unable to opt out of this default protection without first obtaining parental permission.

The company stated that the change represents the most substantial update to teen accounts since their introduction, building upon existing automatic safety protections that cover hundreds of millions of young users globally. Meta's decision to adopt the PG-13 standard stems from a desire to align its policies with a well-known, independent standard that parents already understand.

''We decided to more closely align our policies with an independent standard that parents are familiar with, so we reviewed our age-appropriate guidelines against PG-13 movie ratings and updated them accordingly. While of course there are differences between movies and social media, we made these changes so teens’ experiences in the 13+ setting feel closer to the Instagram equivalent of watching a PG-13 movie,'' the company stated.

The company recognizes that the digital environment, like a PG-13 film, may occasionally present mild suggestive content or strong language. However, Meta is committed to deploying safety measures to keep such instances as rare as possible, though they acknowledge no system is "perfect."

The new guidelines go beyond previous policies that already hide or prohibit the recommendation of sexually suggestive content, graphic images, and adult-oriented content such as tobacco or alcohol sales.

Updated policies will now further restrict or hide content that includes strong language, certain risky stunts, and content that could encourage potentially harmful behaviors, such as posts showing marijuana paraphernalia. Knowing that teens may try to bypass these restrictions, Meta confirmed it will continue to use its age prediction technology to enforce content protections even if a user attempts to register as an adult.

In addition to the default 13+ setting, Meta is introducing a new, stricter setting for parents who wish to impose a more restrictive experience on their teen's account. This addition was directly informed by feedback gathered from thousands of parents worldwide who participated in shaping the changes.

A recent Ipsos survey commissioned by Meta found that the move is largely supported by parents, with 95% of US parents of teens agreeing that the updated settings will be helpful, and 90% stating the change will make it easier to understand the kind of content their teen is likely to encounter on Instagram.

www.meta.com

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