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Instagram — Enforcement

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Executive Summary

The FTC finalized the updated consent order against Meta, imposing a blanket prohibition on monetizing data from users under 18 across all Meta platforms, including Instagram. The order expanded the original 2019 $5 billion settlement and specifically targeted Instagram's ad targeting of minors. Meta was required to deploy age verification technology and delete data collected from children under 13 without parental consent.

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What Happened

On April 29, 2025, the FTC finalized an updated consent order against Meta that prohibits the company from monetizing any data from users under 18 across all its platforms, including Instagram. This order expanded Meta's original 2019 settlement that included a $5 billion penalty. Meta is now required to implement age verification technology and delete data that was collected from children under 13 without proper parental consent.

Who Is Affected

All Instagram users under 18 are directly affected by the prohibition on data monetization. Children under 13 whose data was previously collected without parental consent will have that information deleted. Parents of children who use Instagram and other Meta platforms are also impacted by these new protections.

Why It Matters

This enforcement action represents a significant expansion of regulatory oversight over how social media companies handle minors' data and sets a precedent for restricting the commercial use of teen data. The blanket ban on monetizing data from all users under 18, rather than just children under 13, extends privacy protections to a much broader age group. The requirement for age verification technology may influence how other platforms approach age-gating and data collection practices.

What You Should Do

Parents should review their children's Instagram accounts and privacy settings to understand what data may have been collected. If your child is under 13 and has been using Instagram, you can expect Meta to delete their improperly collected data as part of this order. Families should discuss social media use and consider whether existing accounts for minors should remain active given the platform's history of privacy violations.

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Event summaries are generated by Claude AI from verified sources and reviewed by humans before publication.

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