Setting the scene: Talking to your teen about Instagram's updated content settings, guided by PG-13 film ratings
Written by Rachel F Rodgers, PhD
14 October 2025
As a psychologist and academic who studies how parents can guide teens to use social media in positive ways, I've heard the challenges that many of you experience. Between keeping your teen safe online and trying to keep up with constant changes to apps and platforms, it can feel overwhelming. That's why Instagram has rolled out new settings for Teen Accounts that are easier to use and more flexible for different family needs, and offer stronger protections.
Parents can worry about whether the content that their teens see on social media is really age-appropriate, and sometimes find existing parental controls confusing or limited. These updates from Instagram are meant to address both of those issues by defaulting teens into an experience guided by PG-13 film ratings and giving parents extra controls that are easy to use. Below, you'll find the key updates along with tips on how to walk through them with your teen.
Every family wants to keep their teens safe online, but parents also know that what's "appropriate" isn't the same for every teen – or even every sibling. Families have their own values and teens all mature at their own pace. That's why many parents have asked for more options to customise what their teens can see, instead of one-size-fits-all controls. Instagram's new settings are designed with that in mind, giving parents more choice, more confidence and peace of mind as they navigate them with their teen
Parents can worry about whether the content that their teens see on social media is really age-appropriate, and sometimes find existing parental controls confusing or limited. These updates from Instagram are meant to address both of those issues by defaulting teens into an experience guided by PG-13 film ratings and giving parents extra controls that are easy to use. Below, you'll find the key updates along with tips on how to walk through them with your teen.
Every family wants to keep their teens safe online, but parents also know that what's "appropriate" isn't the same for every teen – or even every sibling. Families have their own values and teens all mature at their own pace. That's why many parents have asked for more options to customise what their teens can see, instead of one-size-fits-all controls. Instagram's new settings are designed with that in mind, giving parents more choice, more confidence and peace of mind as they navigate them with their teen
What do the new settings look like and how do they help families?
Teen Accounts will automatically be placed into an updated default "13+" setting, that's guided by PG-13 film ratings. Aligning with an external framework that's more familiar to parents is helpful, as it allows them to have a clearer sense of the kind of content that their teen will see when they open Instagram and helps parents decide if that's the right level for them and their teen. Teens can't make this default setting less strict without a parent's permission, which parents can only give if they have supervision enabled.
For parents who feel that PG-13 standards are still too mature for their teen and who prefer extra controls, Instagram is also offering a new, stricter "Limited content" setting, which will filter even more content from the Teen Account experience across Instagram. The Limited content setting will also further limit search results and prevent teens from seeing, leaving or receiving comments under posts.
The new Teen Account settings are designed to help parents and teens create an online experience that feels safer and age-appropriate. Still, it's always important to maintain open lines of communication with teens to make sure that they know they can always come to them about anything that's bothering them or making them feel uncomfortable – whether in the offline or online world. As a parent, it's not always easy to know how to start those conversations, but here are some tips that can make it easier:
- Stay interested in what they're seeing. Online safety isn't only about blocking content – it's also about showing curiosity and talking about what teens do see. Ask your teen to share something in their feed or something trending.
- Be the one to start the conversation. Don't wait for your teen to bring things up. Even light-hearted posts can be good conversation starters – try asking, "Why do you think that people are liking this?" or "What's funny about this to you?" And if something feels uncomfortable, it's OK to ask, "Did that bother you?"
- Don't shut the conversation down. Some topics are awkward, especially with teens, but shutting them down can send the message that you aren't open to guiding them through. You can admit when it feels tough: "This is hard to talk about, but I want to try." If it feels like too much, suggest revisiting it later: "Let's pause here, but we can check in again soon."
- Check in regularly. The safest approach is ongoing conversations. Meta's new tools make it easier to personalise your teen's experience, but they work best when paired with regular chats about what your teen is seeing and how they feel about it.
Setting limits around social media is important, but building trust and keeping the lines of communication open is just as crucial.
Instagram's new content settings – such as the default 13+ setting and the Limited content setting – can be a great way to start conversations with your teen about why certain things are blocked and why these settings might be the best fit at the moment. These tools are built to protect teens not just from certain kinds of content and accounts, but also from experiences that might feel overwhelming or not age-appropriate yet. These changes will be rolled out to all Teen Accounts, so try talking with your teen about why it matters:
"This setting makes sure that you're seeing content that's right for your age and helps avoid accounts or content that might feel a little too old for you at the moment."
In addition to these new protections, apps from Meta offer additional default protections and optional supervision. You can learn more about all of these tools on Family Centre.
The new Teen Account features give parents more control and flexibility, but it's still important to stay connected to what your teen is seeing online. At the end of the day, the settings are there to support the real work: keeping open conversations, building trust and helping your teen learn safe and positive ways to use social media.
Dr Rachel Rodgers is a member of Meta's Youth Advisory Council, and provides expert input on Meta's youth safety efforts. Dr Rodgers was invited to write an article about the latest updates for Teen Accounts and she was compensated for her time.
FEATURES AND TOOLS
RELATED RESOURCES
What parents need to know about authentic age representation and online safety
Read more
