A recent Meta survey indicates that 19% of young teen Instagram users, aged 13 to 15, reported encountering unwanted nudity or sexual images on the platform. This finding emerged from a court filing related to a federal lawsuit.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri, in a deposition, acknowledged the survey's findings but noted that self-reported data can be "problematic." He stated the company generally does not share such survey results. Meta faces multiple lawsuits globally, alleging its products negatively impact young users and contribute to a mental health crisis among minors.
The survey statistic specifically reflects user self-reporting, not a direct review of platform content, according to Meta spokesperson Andy Stone. The company previously announced plans to remove explicit imagery, including AI-generated content, with limited exceptions for educational or medical material.
Furthermore, the deposition revealed that approximately 8% of users in the same age group reported witnessing self-harm or threats of self-harm on Instagram. Mosseri indicated that a substantial portion of explicit content is shared via private messages, presenting a challenge for Meta due to user privacy concerns regarding message content.