Meta Will Restrict Content For Teens Around Self-Harm, Eating Disorders Amid Child Safety Lawsuits

Meta said Tuesday it's adding protections to teen users’ accounts to hide age-inappropriate content from search results and explore pages on Instagram and Facebook, and notifying teens to update their privacy settings, amid lawsuits from states over child safety and an upcoming hearing before the Senate.

Meta will remove content around self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders from teen users on Instagram and Facebook, even if it’s shared by a user they follow, adding that while content on self-harm “can help destigmatize these issues,” “it’s a complex topic and isn’t necessarily suitable for all young people.”

Additionally, when teen users search for terms related to self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders, Meta will hide related results and redirect the search to a helpline or other resources for users to seek support.