Meta is rolling out its 13+ content settings to teen users globally across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. The company first launched these restrictions in October 2025 and is now expanding them beyond their initial markets.
At launch, the settings covered teens only in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. The new expansion brings them to teen users worldwide. Meta says the goal is to align teen experiences with content standards similar to a PG-13 rated movie.
As explained by Instagram:
Today, we’re announcing that Instagram Teen Accounts will be guided by PG-13 movie ratings by default. This means that teens will see content on Instagram that’s similar to what they’d see in a PG-13 movie. Teens under 18 will be automatically placed into an updated 13+ setting, and they won’t be able to opt out without a parent’s permission.
What the 13+ Settings Do
Facebook’s new 13+ default setting hides content inappropriate for teens in Feed and Reels. It also limits teens from interacting with Profiles, Pages, Groups, and Events that mostly post inappropriate content. On Messenger, the setting restricts teens from viewing links to inappropriate Facebook content or chatting with accounts that share such material.
Meta also confirmed that stricter Limited Content settings will arrive on Facebook and Messenger later this year. On Instagram, the company is adding new processes to keep teens away from certain sensitive topics. The app will limit exposure to posts about nutrition, weightlifting, and coping with anxiety, among others, to reduce potential harm.
Independent Review and Its Limits
Meta submitted its updated teen safety processes for external assessment by online safety firm Alice. Alice created test accounts on Instagram and a leading competitor. It found Instagram’s protections outperformed the rival, showing less mature content.
Where mature content did appear, Meta said it was less intense than on the competitor and milder than content in 13+ rated movies. Alice also flagged areas for improvement, which Meta says it has since addressed.
The Regulatory Pressure Behind the Move
Meta is racing to slow the global momentum behind teen social media bans. Australia became the first nation to enforce a major under-16 social media ban last December. Many other countries are now weighing similar age limits and penalties for violations.
The results so far are mixed. Australia’s first government report, published in March, found that 70% of underage teens still access social apps despite the ban. Meanwhile, several academic studies continue to suggest the benefits of social media often outweigh the harms for young users. Even so, Meta reported in January that it removed nearly 550,000 accounts in Australia believed to belong to underage users. If more countries follow Australia, the business impact on Meta could be significant.
The PG-13 Dispute
Meta originally branded the system using the term “PG-13.” That drew a cease and desist request from the Motion Picture Association, which called Meta’s usage false and highly misleading. Meta reached an agreement with the MPA and scaled back its references, now mostly using “13+” instead. The company clarified it did not work with the MPA, and that the association does not rate, endorse, or approve any content on its platforms.
For Pakistan, where millions of teens use Instagram and Facebook daily, the global rollout means local young users will now fall under the same default protections.
Pakistani parents gain more control tools, though enforcement still depends on accurate age detection, which remains a challenge worldwide.
