Instagram is to adopt a version of the PG-13 cinema rating system to give parents stronger controls over their teenagers’ use of the social media platform.
Instagram, which is run by Meta, will start applying rules similar to the US “parental guidance” movie rating – first introduced 41 years ago – to all material on Instagram’s teen accounts. It means users aged under 18 will automatically be placed into the 13+ setting. They will be able to opt out only with their parents’ permission.
While the teen accounts already hide or prohibit the recommendation of sexually suggestive content, graphic or disturbing images, and adult content such as tobacco or alcohol, the new PG-13 version will tighten restrictions further.
Meta said it would hide or not recommend posts with strong language, certain risky stunts, and content that might encourage “harmful” behaviours, such as posts showing marijuana paraphernalia. It will also block search terms, such as “alcohol” or “gore”, even if they are misspelled.
The move comes after independent research involving a former Meta whistleblower claimed that two-thirds (64%) of new safety tools on Instagram were ineffective. The review was led by Arturo Béjar, a former senior engineer at Meta, as well as New York University and Northeastern University academics and the UK’s Molly Rose Foundation, among others. Béjar concluded: “Kids are not safe on Instagram.” Meta rejected the report’s findings and said parents had robust tools at their fingertips.
The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has also demanded social media companies take “a safety-first approach” and said sites that don’t comply should expect to face enforcement action.
The Instagram updates would start in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada and will come to Europe and the rest of the world early next year, Meta said.
Campaigners voiced doubt the changes would guarantee safety improvements.
Source: The Guardian
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
