Instagram has cycled through a few different safeguards for teenage accounts since Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen revealed that the company knew how much Instagram was negatively affecting teenage mental health back in 2021. Last year, Instagram users under the age of 18 were automatically switched over to a “Teen Account,” which comes with restrictions around what content is visible, who the user can message (and receive messages from), and how late at night the account can be used. Parents can also monitor Teen Accounts by overseeing DMs, toggling privacy settings, and more. While 97% of teens 13-15 have kept these default restrictions on since the change went into effect last year (per Variety), the rollout wasn’t without its issues. A report from January, for example, revealed that the app had been “mistakenly” restricting content with LGBTQ+ hashtags (#lesbian, #bisexual, #gay, #trans, etc.) for months.
Going forward, the company is taking a different tack. From now on, the content available to teen users will be “guided by PG-13 movie ratings” by default, according to a Meta blog post. Users will only be able to opt out with a parent’s permission, and the company will use its previously announced AI age detection technology to root out secret teens trying to sneak into proverbial R or NC-17-rated films. Parents will also be able to further restrict content if they’d like, because Meta says it knows “that all families are different.”
So what does this actually mean? According to the official MPAA guidelines, a PG-13 movie “may go beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities or other elements, but does not reach the restricted R category.” That means any nudity must not be “sexually oriented,” there may be violence but “generally not both realistic and extreme or persistent violence,” and, somewhat infamously, there can only be one “fuck.” It’s unclear how and if Instagram plans to incorporate this last one, but the company writes, “Just like you might see some suggestive content or hear some strong language in a PG-13 movie, 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.” Sorry, kids: You’re going to have to find another platform to host your One Battle After Another or Black Phone 2 fan clubs.
