Instagram has implemented new content filtering rules for teen accounts that mirror the PG-13 movie rating system introduced in 1984, restricting users aged 13-18 to age-appropriate content by default. The changes expand existing safety measures and include similar restrictions for Meta’s AI chatbot, addressing concerns about inappropriate interactions with minors.
What you should know: Teen accounts will automatically filter out content that wouldn’t be suitable for a PG-13 movie audience, including posts with strong language, risky stunts, and potentially harmful behavior.
• Instagram will stop suggesting posts featuring marijuana paraphernalia, while maintaining existing restrictions on sexually suggestive, graphically disturbing, and disordered eating content.
• Teens are banned from following or interacting with accounts that post age-inappropriate material, and inappropriate links sent via direct messages won’t function.
• The platform blocks teens from searching for restricted terms like “alcohol,” “gore,” suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders.
Search restrictions work both ways: Accounts posting mature content won’t appear in teen search results, and older users won’t be able to search for teen accounts.
Meta AI gets similar treatment: The company’s chatbot now follows PG-13 guidelines for teen users, blocking “inappropriate responses that would feel out of place in a PG-13 movie.”
• This update addresses earlier accusations that the chatbot engaged in sexual conversations with minors.
• Teen accounts are assigned automatically to users under 18 and come with restrictions that require parental consent to change.
Parents get additional control options: Instagram is rolling out a “Limited Content” setting for parents who want stricter restrictions than the default teen account settings.
• This feature adds stronger content filters and blocks teens from viewing, posting, or receiving comments.
• Parents can enable it through Settings > Teen Account Settings > What You See > Content Settings.
• Limited Content restrictions for AI chats will arrive next year.
New parental tools in testing: Instagram is inviting parents to try an age-gating tool that lets them mark content as suitable for those above 13, above 18, or no one at all.
• The platform is also testing a tool allowing parents to flag content they believe should be hidden from teens.
Global rollout timeline: These updates are available today in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, with worldwide deployment expected by the end of the year.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...