Instagram Launches Safer Teen Accounts in India with 13+ Movie Rating Filters

Meta has announced that Instagram is expanding its revamped teen safety accounts in India, inspired by 13+ movie ratings criteria. Teenagers under 18 will be automatically placed into a default setting that hides or does not recommend content with strong language, risky stunts, or potentially harmful behaviors. The platform is introducing a stricter 'Limited Content' filter and will prevent teens from following accounts that regularly share age-inappropriate material. This proactive update aims to reassure parents by providing a safer, age-appropriate experience by default.

Key Points: Instagram Enhances Teen Safety in India with 13+ Content Filters

  • Teens under 18 auto-enrolled in 13+ setting
  • Hides posts with strong language/risky stunts
  • Stricter 'Limited Content' filter introduced
  • Requires parent permission to opt out
2 min read

Instagram rolls out enhanced teen safety feature accounts in India, aligning with 13+ movie ratings criteria

Instagram rolls out updated teen accounts in India, using 13+ movie ratings to automatically hide inappropriate content and require parental permission to change settings.

Instagram rolls out enhanced teen safety feature accounts in India, aligning with 13+ movie ratings criteria
"We recognise no system is perfect, and we're committed to improving over time - Instagram"

New Delhi, April 10

Meta on Thursday said that its popular social media platform Instagram is taking a significant step towards ensuring a safer online environment for teenagers in India. The platform is expanding its revamped teen Accounts, inspired by movie ratings criteria for 13-year-olds and parent feedback. This move by Meta is aimed at providing content to teenagers that is similar to content in an age-appropriate movie, by default.

As part of this update, teenagers under 18 will be automatically placed into an updated 13+ setting, and they won't be able to opt out without a parent's permission. The new setting will hide or not recommend posts with strong language, certain risky stunts, and additional content that could encourage potentially harmful behaviours, Meta said.

Instagram's updated policies are designed to protect teens from inappropriate content. The platform will proactively identify content that goes against its age-appropriate guidelines and use improved technology to enforce these rules. Teens will no longer be able to follow accounts that regularly share age-inappropriate content, and they won't be able to see or interact with such content.

The platform is also introducing a new, stricter setting called 'Limited Content,' which will filter even more content from the Teen Account experience. This setting will also remove teens' ability to see, leave, or receive comments under posts.

"We recognise no system is perfect, and we're committed to improving over time," said Instagram. The company hopes that this update will reassure parents that it's working to show teens safe, age-appropriate content on Instagram by default, while also giving them more ways to shape their teens' experience.

Instagram's move to customise feed for teenagers is to prioritise teen safety and responsible content curation. By aligning its policies with established movie ratings criteria and incorporating parent feedback, the platform is taking a proactive approach to ensuring a safer online environment for its young users.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

A
Aman W
Good initiative in theory, but will the execution be effective? The 'Limited Content' setting sounds very restrictive. Teens will just find ways around it or move to other apps. Need balance between safety and not treating them like kids.
R
Rohit P
Finally! Social media companies need to take responsibility. Indian youth are spending so much time online, exposure to harmful content is a real issue. Parental permission to opt-out is the right call. 👍
S
Sarah B
The 'improved technology to enforce rules' part is key. It's one thing to have policies, another to actually filter content at scale. Hope they invest properly in the Indian context and local languages.
K
Karthik V
While I appreciate the intent, I'm concerned about over-censorship. Who decides what is 'age-inappropriate'? A 17-year-old is very different from a 13-year-old. A one-size-fits-all 13+ bracket seems too broad. Need more granular controls.
N
Nisha Z
This is a positive step for digital Bharat. Online safety for our children is as important as physical safety. Parents and platforms must work together. Good to see Meta listening to parent feedback.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50