How we decided on Instagram

Our safety checks

Instagram fails 1 of our 7 safety checks. We apply the same strict rules to every app and game.

1. Could we confirm every fact?

   ✓ Yes

   Every fact below links to its source. Rule 1

2. Is your child old enough for the official ratings?

   ! Only from 12

   Rated 12+ by Apple App Store and Google Play (UK). Rule 2

3. Can you stop strangers contacting your child?

   ✓ Yes

   Teen Accounts limit messaging and tagging, and 13 to 15-year-olds can’t loosen these settings without a parent’s permission. With supervision turned on, the same applies to 16 and 17-year-olds. Rule 3Source

4. Is every risk under control once settings are on?

   ✓ Yes

   No risk stays high once every control is on. Rule 4

5. Is its child-safety record clear?

   ✗ No

   A New Mexico jury found that Meta hid what it knew about child sexual exploitation on Instagram and Facebook, and a court ordered it to pay $567 million more. Meta is appealing. Rule 5Source

6. Can you stop all spending?

   ✓ Yes

   Purchases, such as subscriptions to creators, go through Apple or Google, which let parents require approval for every purchase. Apple’s Ask to Buy is one example. Rule 6Source

7. Is everything checked before children see it?

   ! No

   Anyone can post photos and videos, and the feed picks what each person sees. Most posts are not checked by a person before children see them. So the best we can say is “only with conditions”. Rule 7