Instagram in Japan to notify parents of children interacting with suicidal content

The Japanese branch of US social media company Instagram said it plans to introduce a feature this year that will notify parents if their children interact with suicidal or self‑harm‑related content.

The platform, owned by Meta, also plans to roll out a feature that restricts access to content related to drugs and dangerous behavior, The Japan News reported Wednesday.

Under the new system, parents of users age 13 to 17 who repeatedly search for suicide‑related content will receive notifications via the app or email if their account is linked to their child's.

This feature has previously been available in the US and UK.

A separate feature will also limit teens' access to content containing drug‑related material, extreme language such as threats, and dangerous acts like shooting guns.

Displays of posts including sexual imagery, alcohol, or tobacco is already limited in terms of visibility on the platform.