Instagram has announced a major update aimed at enhancing the safety of teenage users by restricting their access to PG-13 content by default. This change, revealed by Meta on October 14, means that teenagers will not be able to alter their content settings without parental permission.

The new restrictions will significantly limit teenagers' exposure to sensitive or inappropriate material on the platform. Under these guidelines, teens will be shielded from content that includes strong language, risky stunts, and posts that may promote harmful behaviours, such as those featuring marijuana paraphernalia.

Meta has stated that this update is a necessary step, as previous measures to hide inappropriate content were not always effective. Reports indicated that some teen accounts could still recommend age-inappropriate content, including sexual material and posts related to self-harm.

As part of the update, teenagers will be unable to follow accounts that frequently share inappropriate content. If they already follow such accounts, they will lose access to that content, including the ability to send messages or view comments on related posts. Additionally, these restricted accounts will not be able to follow teens or interact with them in any way.

Instagram is also expanding its restrictions on search terms related to sensitive topics, now including keywords like "alcohol" and "gore," even if misspelled. The PG-13 guidelines will also apply to AI interactions targeting teens, ensuring that responses are age-appropriate.

Importantly, the default PG-13 content settings cannot be changed by teenagers without a parent's consent. Meta is introducing a stricter "limited content" setting that parents can activate, which will block even more content and prevent teens from seeing or engaging with comments on posts. This update marks one of the most significant changes to Instagram since the introduction of specialized accounts for teenagers last year.