Report: Instagram Safety Features for Teens 'Woefully Ineffective'
A report led by Meta whistleblower Arturo Bejar and nonprofit groups found that Instagram's teen safety features are largely ineffective, with 64% of new tools either not working or easily circumvented. The research identified design flaws including unblocked adult contact and inadequate content filtering, contradicting Meta's claims about platform protections for minors.
What happened
A report led by former Meta senior engineer Arturo Bejar and four nonprofit groups evaluated 47 of Meta's 53 safety features for teens on Instagram. The review found that 64% of new safety tools were ineffective, with 30 tools easily circumvented or discontinued, while only eight received green ratings indicating they worked as intended without limitations.
The research used test accounts simulating teenager, parent and malicious adult behaviour in March and June 2025. Findings included that adults could easily message teenagers who did not follow them despite this being supposedly blocked in teen accounts, though Meta reportedly fixed this after testing. Minors can still initiate conversations with adults on Reels.
Reported impact
Meta introduced mandatory teen accounts on Instagram in September 2024 to address online harm concerns. The report claims Meta's safety tools are mostly ineffective, unmaintained, quietly changed or removed, creating a false sense of security for parents and teenagers.
According to the report, Instagram's design choices are 'selecting, promoting, and bringing inappropriate content, contact and compulsive use to children every day,' with children including those under 13 remaining unsafe on the platform despite Meta's promises.
Index analysis
The report's authors state the focus was on Instagram's design, not content moderation, arguing that assessing safety tools and calling out Meta when these tools do not work has nothing to do with free speech. Meta responded that the report 'misleadingly and speculatively' misrepresents its efforts, claiming that teens in Teen Accounts 'saw less sensitive content, experienced less unwanted contact, and spent less time on Instagram at night.'
Governance controls
Meta stated it provides automatic safety protections and straightforward parental controls in Teen Accounts, with parents having tools to limit usage and monitor interactions. However, Meta has not disclosed what percentage of parents use its parental control tools, and experts note such features rely on parents already being involved in their child's online life.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.