Instagram to launch new teen safety settings inspired by movie ratings

Instagram is boosting teen safety in India with new settings inspired by movie ratings. Users under 18 will be defaulted to a stricter 13+ setting, hiding inappropriate content and requiring parental permission to change.

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.

New Default Settings for Teens

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.

Proactive Enforcement and Content Filtering

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.

Stricter 'Limited Content' Option

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.

Instagram's Commitment and Parental Reassurance

"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.

Prioritising Responsible Content Curation

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)

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