Instagram’s new PG-13 safety mode for teens is set for a global rollout, but its announcement has received a cautious welcome from international safety advocates. The system will launch first in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, with Europe and the rest of the world to follow early next year.
The feature will establish a global standard for teen accounts, defaulting them to a more restrictive “13+” setting. This mode will filter out content with strong language, risky stunts, and harmful themes, and will require parental consent to be turned off.
The cautious reception stems from concerns about enforcement and effectiveness across different cultures and languages. While the PG-13 concept is rooted in the US film system, its application to a global social media platform presents unique challenges.
Advocates are also wary due to Meta’s past performance. A recent critical report on the ineffectiveness of existing safety tools has made the global community hesitant to celebrate this new initiative without proof. The Molly Rose Foundation, a UK-based charity, has been vocal in demanding independent verification.
As the system expands from its initial markets to a worldwide user base, its implementation will be closely scrutinized. The key challenge for Meta will be to prove that this is a robust, globally effective safety measure and not just a one-size-fits-all solution that fails to account for regional nuances.
