Instagram tightens its teen policy: Meta-owned app will now automatically hide content related to suicide

More than six years after the tragic death of Molly Russell, Instagram is finally hiding all posts that can pose serious harm to children. 

The Meta-owned app is blocking posts related to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders and other 'types of age-inappropriate content' for users under 18. 

Anyone aged between 13 to 17 will automatically get the block on Instagram – as well as Facebook – and won't be able to turn it off, although it will lift once they turn 18. 

It means they won't see any of these posts in their Instagram home feed and Stories, whether or not it's been shared by someone they follow.

It follows serious concerns about how teens are affected by social apps, including 14-year-old Instagram user Molly Russell who killed herself in 2017.