[Digital Today reporter Lee Ho-jung (이호정)] Instagram is significantly raising content exposure standards for teen accounts in South Korea to a level comparable to U.S. PG-13 films, stepping up a crackdown on harmful content and tougher protection measures.

Meta, which operates Instagram, said on May 11 it will roll out an update to its “teen accounts” that revamps content safety standards shown to teenagers across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, including South Korea. The company expanded the rollout after it was first introduced in the United States and Britain in October last year.

Under the changes, teens aged 14 to 18 will face broad limits on exposure to content featuring harsh language, dangerous acts or material that could encourage potentially harmful behavior. The standards, designed with reference to Motion Picture Association (MPA) guidelines, will apply consistently across Instagram, including feeds, stories, comments, direct messages and search.

Contact with inappropriate accounts that regularly post age-inappropriate content will also be blocked. Teens will not be able to follow those accounts, and even if they already do, they will no longer be able to view content or interact. The protections will apply in both directions, meaning adult content posters will also be unable to send direct messages to teens or leave comments on their posts.

A “restricted content” setting for parents will also be introduced within this year. It will allow parents to manage more strictly the content standards exposed to their teen children and control comment functions in detail. The strengthened teen account settings are also set to be applied sequentially to Facebook and messenger platforms.

A Meta official said, “We are upgrading protection features for teen accounts so that teens can experience safe and age-appropriate content online as well.” The official added, “We will continue improving safety policies and protection measures so that both parents and teens can use the platform with peace of mind.”