Meta is expanding its 13+ content settings for Teen Accounts globally across Instagram, Facebook and Messenger, with the Australian rollout limited to teens aged 16 and 17.
The update follows Meta’s October launch of the setting in Australia, the US, UK and Canada. It defaults teens into a 13+ content experience designed to reduce exposure to age-inappropriate material.
Meta said nine out of 10 teens have remained in the setting since launch. The company also introduced Limited Content, a stricter option for parents who want a more restrictive experience for their teen.
The teen content setting option on Facebook.
What changes for Australian Teen Accounts?
In Australia, the expanded Teen Accounts content settings will only apply to 16 and 17 year olds. Meta said this reflects existing social media age restrictions in the market.
The global expansion means Facebook’s 13+ default setting will hide content deemed inappropriate for teens in areas including Feed and Reels. It will also limit teens’ ability to interact with Profiles, Pages, Groups and Events that mainly post inappropriate content.
On Messenger, the setting will limit teens’ ability to view links to inappropriate Facebook content. It will also restrict chats with accounts that primarily share inappropriate content on Facebook.
Meta said the Limited Content setting will become available on Facebook and Messenger later this year.
Instagram tests content variety feature
Instagram is also testing a feature designed to stop teens from seeing too many posts on certain topics in one session.
The test covers content that Meta said can be useful on its own, but should be balanced with other types of posts. Examples include nutrition, weightlifting and coping with anxiety.
The test will apply across areas including Explore, Feed and Reels.
The warning that shows on a Facebook profile when teen content restrictions are on.
External stress test reviews Instagram settings
Meta said it asked online safety and security experts Alice, formerly ActiveFence, to assess Instagram’s Teen Account settings and conduct adversarial stress-testing.
Alice created test accounts on Instagram and a leading competitor. It compared mature themes seen on Instagram, the competitor platform and in films rated 13+.
The assessment found Instagram Teen Accounts in the default 13+ setting saw 68 per cent less mature content than the competitor’s teen experience. Teen Accounts using the stricter Limited Content setting saw 96 per cent less mature content than the competitor’s teen experience.
Meta said that when mature content appeared on Instagram Teen Accounts, it was less intense than mature content seen on the competitor platform and in movies rated 13+.
Alice also found Instagram blocked mature search terms more frequently than the competitor.
The warning that comes up in a private Facebook message while teen content controls are on.
Areas for improvement
Alice identified two areas for improvement, which Meta said it moved to address before publication of the report.
The first related to accounts that regularly share age-inappropriate content. Meta said Instagram already had safeguards in place, but updated its detection signals after Alice identified some exceptions.
The second related to mature content involving risky stunts and viral challenges. Meta said “car surfing” had recently emerged as a trend and was not yet covered by its policies, unlike “subway surfing”, which was already restricted for teens.
Meta said it has now updated its policies to restrict that content for teens. The Alice report noted that “these improvement measures were subsequently retested and found to be effective prior to publication.”
Additionally, Meta said it did not work with the Motion Picture Association when developing the content settings. The company said the approach was inspired by the MPA’s public guidelines and parent feedback, but the MPA is not rating Instagram content or endorsing the settings.