Instagram to alert parents if teens search suicide-related terms
The alerts will only be sent to parents enrolled in the platform’s parental supervision program, Meta, Instagram’s parent company, said. While Instagram already blocks such content from teen search results and directs users to helplines, the new feature aims to inform parents when concerning search patterns appear.
Notifications will be delivered via email, text message, WhatsApp, or directly through the parent’s Instagram account, depending on the contact details provided.
According to AP, the move comes as Meta faces two major lawsuits over alleged harm to children. A trial in Los Angeles is examining whether the company’s platforms are designed to be addictive and harmful to minors. Another case in New Mexico alleges Meta failed to protect children from sexual exploitation. Thousands of families, school districts, and government entities have also filed lawsuits claiming social media companies knowingly create addictive platforms and fail to shield young users from harmful content linked to depression, eating disorders, and suicide.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has denied that social media platforms cause addiction, stating that existing scientific evidence does not prove a direct link between social media use and mental health harm.
In a blog post, Meta said the goal of the new alerts is to help parents intervene when needed, while avoiding excessive notifications that could reduce their effectiveness.
However, critics remain skeptical. Josh Golin, executive director of the nonprofit Fairplay, argued that the change shifts responsibility onto parents rather than addressing what he described as flaws in the company’s platform design. He added that all children should be protected, regardless of whether their parents use supervision tools.
Meta also said it is developing similar notifications to alert parents if teens attempt to engage its artificial intelligence tools in conversations related to suicide or self-harm, with further details expected in the coming months.
