Instagram accused of recommending explicit videos to users as young as 13

From January to April this year, researchers created age 13 profiles to study Instagram. Upon login, Instagram immediately suggested sexually explicit videos

Social media platform Instagram has stirred controversy by allegedly pushing explicit reels to teens as young as 13, even when they’re not actively seeking such videos, reported The Wall Street Journal.

An investigation by Northeastern University professor Laura Edelson and the publication have revealed troubling findings about Instagram, owned by Meta, suggesting the platform’s recommendations to teenage users include sexually explicit videos.

During tests primarily conducted from January to April this year, researchers created new profiles setting the age at 13 to study Instagram’s behaviour. Upon initial login, Instagram immediately started suggesting moderately suggestive videos featuring women dancing sensually or focusing on their bodies.

Accounts that engaged with these videos and ignored others soon received more recommendations for similar explicit content. Some suggested reels included videos where women mimicked sexual acts or offered to send nude images for user comments.

During the course of the investigation, the researchers found videos featuring nudity and, in one case, a series of videos about some graphic and explicit sexual acts within minutes of setting up the account.

Within just 20 minutes of joining, the recommended reels section was dominated by creators producing sexual content, according to the report.

In contrast, experiments on TikTok and Snapchat with similarly aged accounts did not yield recommendations for inappropriate content. Even when deliberately searching for such material and following creators known for producing it, TikTok and Snapchat did not suggest it to the test accounts.

Meta, according to The Wall Street Journal, has internally acknowledged similar issues through its own research. However, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone disputed the findings, labelling the experiments ‘artificial’ and claiming they do not reflect how teenagers actually use Instagram. 

Stone further highlighted Meta’s efforts to reduce exposure to sensitive content among teenage users, noting significant progress in recent months.