Teens banned on Facebook, Instagram from seeing eating disorder, self-harm content

Meta has announced it has started to improve its content control settings for teens on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms. It will hide posts related to self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, and others.

Meta announced hiding posts showcasing self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, and other inappropriate content for teens on Facebook and Instagram accounts. (REUTERS)

Teens and their consumption trends on social media has always been controversial. In effect, they have been able to access almost any content that there is, even those ones that are clearly inappropriate for their age and experience. While big platforms such as Meta do not share the actual data on how the different kinds of content affect the teen mind, governments across the world are concerned about how youngsters perceive the same. Therefore, to take a step forward to solve this problem, Meta Platforms has announced it will ban teens from accessing harmful content such as self-harm, nudity, suicide, eating disorders, and others. Know what Meta said about the new move.

It is reported that the changes have been highlighted by Meta after it faced multiple lawsuits from dozens of U.S. states. These claimed that the content available on its social media platforms harmed young minds and created mental health crisis.

Teens will be banned from watching harmful content on Facebook and Instagram

According to the Meta blog, the company has developed various strategies for teens to have an age-appropriate experience on their platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. It said that the company has introduced 30 tools and resources to support teens and parents to manage sensitive matters. The platform aims to provide the right kinds of content on its Explore page and Reels, so teens do not have to see any content that is not made for them," even if it's shared by someone they follow.”

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If any young user tries to search for content related to suicide, eating disorders or nudity on Facebook and Instagram, they will be directed to helpful resource platforms such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Rachel Rodgers, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Psychology, Northeastern University said, “These policies reflect current understandings and expert guidance regarding teen's safety and well-being. As these changes unfold, they provide good opportunities for parents to talk with their teens about how to navigate difficult topics.”

The changes will be rolled out for teens under 18 on Instagram and Facebook gradually in the coming months. The changes include content control settings, content recommendations and search queries, and new safety and privacy settings designed for teens.

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