New Protections to Give Teens More Age-Appropriate Experiences on Our Apps
We want teens to have safe, age-appropriate experiences on our apps. We’ve developed over 30 tools and resources to support teens and their parents, and we’ve been working on policies and technology to address sensitive content. Now, we are introducing additional protections focused on the types of content teens see on Instagram and Facebook.
New Content Policies for Teens
We consult with experts in adolescent development, psychology, and mental health to ensure our platforms are safe for young people. We will start removing certain types of content, such as discussions about self-harm, from teens’ experiences on Instagram and Facebook. We will also restrict other age-inappropriate content. These changes aim to provide a safer environment for teens.
Updates to Instagram’s and Facebook’s Content Recommendation Settings for Teens
We are automatically placing teens into the most restrictive content control setting on both Instagram and Facebook. This setting makes it more difficult for teens to come across sensitive content or accounts. We are expanding this control to teens who are already using the apps, in addition to new users. The content recommendation controls will make it harder for people to find potentially sensitive content in places like Search and Explore.
Hiding More Results in Instagram Search Related to Suicide, Self-Harm, and Eating Disorders
We have been working to make it harder to find content related to suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders on Instagram. Now, we will hide more search results related to these topics and direct users to expert resources for help. This update will roll out gradually over the coming weeks.
Prompting Teens to Easily Update Their Privacy Settings
To ensure teens are regularly checking their safety and privacy settings on Instagram, we will send them notifications encouraging them to update their settings for a more private experience. By choosing to “Turn on recommended settings,” teens can have their settings automatically changed to restrict who can interact with their content. This includes limiting who can repost their content, tag or mention them, and include their content in Reels Remixes. We will also ensure that only their followers can message them and help hide offensive comments.
These new protections are part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safer and more age-appropriate environment for teens on Instagram and Facebook. We will continue to work with experts and listen to feedback to improve our platforms.