Instagram to Notify Parents if Teens Search for Suicide-Related Content in Several Countries

Instagram announced a new safety feature that will notify parents if their teenage children repeatedly search for suicide- or self-harm-related content within a short period.

The move comes amid growing global pressure on governments and technology companies to strengthen online protections for minors, as policymakers push for tighter regulation of youth access to social media.

The policy follows earlier moves in Australia, which in December 2025 introduced a ban on social media use for individuals under 16, triggering international debate over age restrictions online. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom announced in January that it is exploring stricter child safety rules for internet platforms.

Other European governments are also considering similar measures. Spain, Greece and Slovenia have recently signaled interest in limiting children’s online exposure to potentially harmful content.

The platform, owned by Meta, said parents enrolled in its optional supervision tools will receive alerts if their children attempt repeated searches for self-harm or suicide-related terms.

“These notifications build on our existing work to help teens protect themselves from potentially harmful content on Instagram,” the company said in a statement. “We maintain strict policies against content that promotes or glorifies suicide or self-harm.”

Instagram added that its current policy already blocks such searches and directs users to support resources.

The new alert system will initially be launched next week for supervised accounts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.

Governments worldwide have intensified efforts to regulate children’s access to digital platforms following rising concerns about online safety.

In the United Kingdom, child protection rules targeting access to adult content websites have sparked debates over privacy rights for adults and diplomatic tensions with the United States regarding free speech boundaries and regulatory jurisdiction.

Under Instagram’s teen account policies, users under 16 require parental permission to modify privacy and safety settings. Parents may also opt into enhanced monitoring features with the teenager’s consent.