By Fatima
New Delhi | Novemver 28, 2025
Instagram has announced one of its most significant safety updates for teenagers, introducing a new system that guides all Teen Accounts using PG-13 movie rating standards. The update aims to create a more age-appropriate environment for teens under 18, while giving parents stronger controls and improved visibility into the type of content their children may encounter.
The changes begin rolling out today across the US, UK, Australia and Canada, with global rollout planned for later this year.
Default 13+ Setting for All Teens
Under the update, every user under 18 will automatically be placed into a PG-13-aligned 13+ content setting, which cannot be turned off without parental approval. The goal is to ensure that teens see only content considered broadly appropriate for a PG-13 audience.
Instagram says this shift is based on input from thousands of parents worldwide, who shared feedback on what they consider acceptable for teens on social platforms.
A New Stricter Mode: “Limited Content”
Recognizing that every family has different comfort levels, Instagram is introducing a more restrictive setting called Limited Content.
This mode will:
- Filter out a wider range of mature or sensitive posts
- Remove a teen’s ability to see, leave or receive comments
- Further restrict AI conversations for teens starting next year
Meta says 96% of parents surveyed in the US support having this stricter option available.
Updated Content Policies Following PG-13 Guidelines
Instagram has reviewed its teen content rules against PG-13 movie standards, updating policies across several categories:
- Strong language
- Risky stunts
- Marijuana-related imagery
- Potentially harmful or suggestive content
The platform already restricts sexually suggestive posts, graphic imagery, and adult content (such as alcohol or tobacco sales). With the new update, these protections become even stricter.
A recent Ipsos survey commissioned by Meta found that 95% of US parents believe these new settings will help teens avoid inappropriate content.
Expanded Protections Across Instagram
Instagram has upgraded several core systems to enforce PG-13 guidance:
Accounts
Teens will no longer be able to follow, view or interact with accounts that:
- Repeatedly share age-inappropriate content
- Indicate inappropriate themes in their name or bio
The restrictions work both ways — these accounts cannot follow or message teens either.
Search
Instagram is expanding its list of blocked search terms. Alongside existing categories like suicide or self-harm, teens will now be prevented from viewing results for mature topics such as “alcohol” or “gore,” even if misspelled.
Content Recommendations
Content that violates teen content guidelines will not appear in:
- Explore
- Reels
- Feed
- Stories
- Comments
- DMs (even if sent by someone the teen knows)
AI Interactions
AI responses shown to teens will also follow PG-13 expectations, preventing age-inappropriate replies.
Listening to Parents and Incorporating Their Feedback
Instagram worked with thousands of parents globally, receiving over 3 million content ratings that helped refine what qualifies as age-appropriate.
To continue improving:
- Instagram will run ongoing surveys where parents review sample posts
- Parents using supervision tools can flag content they believe teens should not see
- These flagged posts will receive priority review from Instagram’s teams
In early tests, fewer than 2% of posts recommended to teens were rated inappropriate by most parents.
Rollout Timeline
The new settings begin rolling out today across the US, UK, Australia and Canada and will be fully implemented by the end of the year. Instagram plans to:
- Expand these protections worldwide
- Enforce more safeguards for teens who falsely claim to be adults
- Bring additional teen protections to Facebook as well
