Facebook, Instagram to block underage viewership of sexual content

Social media giants, Facebook and its subsidiary Instagram are both set to block under-18s from viewing sexually explicit content with plans to begin restrictions as early as the year 2020.

According to reports, the social media networks plan to effect the restriction which will depend on users inputting their age, thus restricting them from viewing sexually explicit content.

Under the new measures, underage users will get an error message if they declare they are under the age of 18 and try to load sexual content.

Teenagers under the age of 18 are banned from viewing sexualised adverts, fictional depictions of sex and artistic portrayals of nudity or sex act, among others, the Daily Telegraph reports.

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Andy Burrows, the NSPCC head of child safety online policy, told MailOnline: ‘It is good to see Facebook taking steps in recognition of the fact that there is content on their platforms that’s unsuitable for children.

“But these measures look like little more than tinkering around the edges, rather than tackling the more profound clear-cut dangers from grooming and abuse every day on their platforms.

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