Instagram Introduces New PG-13 Protections for Teen Users

Instagram has announced new protections for teen users as part of Meta’s broader response to growing public and regulatory scrutiny over how its platforms impact young people,  particularly around mental health and exposure to harmful content. 

The idea is to align more closely with a recognizable standard (“PG-13” movie rating) so parents might more easily understand what their teens are seeing. The update will hide and stop recommending posts that involve strong language, show drug consumption, or encourage potentially harmful behaviours.  

The platform will use age-prediction technology to enforce these changes, reducing the ability of under-18 users to bypass the rules. This update will also automatically place teen accounts under the PG-13 settings, which parents can adjust to add stricter content and screen-time controls with a "limited content setting".  

In addition to content filtering, the update tightens who teens can follow or be followed by. Instagram will block teen users from following accounts judged to post “age-inappropriate content” and they will also be blocked from interacting with accounts sharing age-inappropriate material. 

Instagram describes this as the “most significant update to teen accounts” since the “teen account” option launched in early 2024 and it’s expected to be available in Ireland in early 2026.  

What this means for advertisers 

If your campaigns target users under 18, note that teens will now see a narrower range of content. Posts or ads containing strong language, risky behaviours, or drug references are less likely to reach them.  

• Consider whether you need to adjust your creative strategy to comply with the more restrictive teen-experience environment (even if you’re not exclusively targeting minors). 

• Monitor performance metrics for teen-heavy audience segments: there may be changes in reach, engagement, or ad delivery for younger users. We can expect that teen ad inventory may shrink, leading to higher CPMs and reduced reach. 

• If you produce both general-audience and teen-specific content, you might want to prepare different versions or adjust placements depending on age gating and parental control settings. 

Sources:  

https://time.com/7325548/instagram-teen-account-restrictions-changes-blocked/ 

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/10/14/instagram-unveils-new-protections-for-teen-users/