WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Meta will soon begin notifying parents if their teen repeatedly searches for suicide or self-harm-related content on Instagram.
This marks the first time the company has proactively informed parents about this type of activity, rather than just blocking the content.
Starting next week in the UK, US, Australia, and Canada, parents enrolled in Instagram's Teen Accounts supervision tools will receive alerts if their child repeatedly searches for suicide or self-harm content within a short time frame, or if Meta's systems detect a sudden shift in search behavior linked to harmful topics.
These notifications may arrive via email, text message, WhatsApp, or in-app alerts, and will include expert-backed resources to help parents navigate difficult conversations.
Meta says the system will 'err on the side of caution,' meaning some alerts may be triggered even when there is no immediate cause for concern. This move has been sharply criticized by suicide prevention charities, who argue the alerts could do more harm than good by leaving parents 'panicked and ill-prepared.'
Critics also suggest Meta should focus more on preventing harmful content from appearing in the first place, rather than notifying parents after the fact.
In response, Meta says the new alerts build on existing protections that block searches for harmful terms, hide suicide and self-harm content, and redirect users to support resources.
The company disputes claims that Instagram actively recommends this type of content to vulnerable teens and says it is committed to improving safety tools. In the coming months, Instagram may also extend similar alerts to cases where teens discuss self-harm or suicide with its AI chatbot.
This announcement comes amid increasing global scrutiny of social media platforms and their impact on young users. Australia has banned social media for under-16s, while the UK, France, and Spain are considering stricter youth protections. U.S. courts are also examining whether Meta targeted younger users.
The effectiveness of Meta's new alerts will likely depend on how responsibly the company handles prevention, accuracy, and follow-up support.
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