Instagram Targets Predators With Safety Update
Published On: July 24, 2025
Instagram is rolling out stronger safety measures to protect teens and children on the platform, responding to growing concerns about online abuse and exploitation. The update, announced by Meta on July 23, 2025, introduces new protections aimed at limiting unwanted contact and increasing transparency in private messages.
Stricter DMs for teen accounts
One of the biggest changes is how direct messages (DMs) work for teen users. New chats will now display key safety information at the top of the screen, including when the account was created. This helps teens quickly spot red flags, such as someone using a brand-new account to make contact.
Teens will also see quick-access options to block or report users. Meta has combined the two actions into one button to simplify the process. These changes build on existing safety notices and nudity protection tools already built into the app.
New rules for accounts featuring children
Instagram is also stepping up protections for accounts that showcase children, especially those run by adults such as parents of “kidfluencers.” These accounts will now be automatically placed into Instagram’s strictest messaging settings. That includes blocking messages from strangers and enabling the Hidden Words filter, which screens out offensive comments.
This move comes after repeated concerns about adult users targeting these accounts with inappropriate messages. Meta says that even though most of these accounts are run responsibly, there are cases where predators leave sexualized comments or request explicit images. These are clear violations of the platform’s rules.
To curb this, Instagram will stop suggesting these accounts to adults who have been blocked by teens and make it harder for those adults to find the accounts through search or recommendations.
As part of the crackdown, Meta says it removed nearly 135,000 Instagram accounts for posting inappropriate content aimed at children. They also disabled around 500,000 additional linked accounts across Instagram and Facebook.
Meta is sharing this data with other tech companies through the Tech Coalition’s Lantern program. The initiative aims to help platforms identify and take down harmful users more effectively by coordinating across services.
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