How Instagram’s new updates make teen accounts safer in UAE, Saudi Arabia
Meta has introduced significant new updates to its Instagram teen accounts in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, introducing a default 13+ content rating that aims to show teens only safe, age-appropriate content. The move also offers parents more control over youngsters’ experiences.
It was in June 2025 that Instagram launched teen accounts in the UAE. This automatically placed everyone under 16 in the country into teen accounts that needed parental or guardian approval to change any of the protective settings to be less strict.
Now, everyone under 18 will be automatically placed into the updated setting and cannot opt out without a parent's permission. The move, inspired by 13+ content ratings in entertainment, follows similar rollouts in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia in October 2025.
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The updates are expected to be rolled out gradually to teen accounts in the region and fully implemented over the coming months.
Here are five key changes:
1. A default 13+ content rating
Teens across MENA will now see age-appropriate content by default. The setting is inspired by 13+ ratings in entertainment and cannot be opted out of without parental approval.
"We hope this update reassures parents that we're working to show teens safe, age-appropriate content on Instagram by default," the company said in a press release sent out on Friday. “We're committed to continuously reviewing and improving these guidelines over time.
2. Stricter content filtering
Instagram already prohibits sexually suggestive content, graphic images, and adult material like tobacco or alcohol sales from reaching teens. Now, the platform will also hide or block:
Strong language
Certain risky stunts
Content encouraging potentially harmful behaviours, such as posts showing narcotic paraphernalia
3. New 'Limited Content' setting for parents
Every family is different. For parents who prefer even tighter controls, Instagram has introduced a new setting called "Limited Content". This stricter option:
Filters even more content from a teen's experience
Removes their ability to see, leave, or receive comments under posts
4. Teens can't follow age-inappropriate accounts
Instagram has improved its technology to proactively identify accounts that regularly share age-inappropriate content.
Teens will no longer be able to:
Follow such accounts
See or interact with their content
Receive DMs or see their comments
These protections work both ways: inappropriate accounts also cannot follow teens, message them, or comment on their posts.
5. Blocked search terms and safer AI
Instagram has blocked teens from seeing search results for mature terms such as "alcohol" or "gore", including misspellings. AI experiences have also been updated to ensure responses remain appropriate for users aged 13 and above.
