BTA2023 Nearly one in five Instagram users aged 13 to 15 reported seeing unwanted nude or sexual images on the platform, according to newly disclosed court documents involving Meta Platforms Inc.
The statistic emerged from a federal lawsuit in California and was included in portions of a March 2025 deposition by Instagram head Adam Mosseri.
Internal Survey Raises Youth Safety Concerns
According to the filing, 19% of young teens surveyed told Meta they had encountered “nudity or sexual images on Instagram” that they did not want to see. An additional 8% reported seeing content related to self-harm or threats of self-harm.
Meta clarified that the figures came from user experience surveys rather than an internal audit of specific posts. Company spokesperson Andy Stone noted that the data reflected self-reported experiences.
During his deposition, Mosseri stated that Meta does not generally publish internal survey results and described self-reported surveys as “notoriously problematic.”
Legal Pressure Mounts on Meta
The revelations come as Meta faces mounting legal scrutiny across the United States and internationally. Thousands of lawsuits filed in federal and state courts accuse the company of designing addictive features and contributing to a mental health crisis among minors.
Global policymakers have increasingly questioned whether social media platforms are doing enough to protect young users from harmful content.
The case in California forms part of broader litigation targeting the safety practices of major tech platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.
Policy Changes and Moderation Challenges
In late 2025, Meta announced it would remove images and videos “containing nudity or explicit sexual activity, including when generated by AI,” while maintaining exceptions for medical and educational content.
Mosseri noted that most sexually explicit material involving teens was shared through private direct messages rather than public posts. He emphasized that reviewing private messages presents privacy challenges.
“A lot of people don’t want us reading their messages,” Mosseri said during the deposition.
The case highlights the ongoing tension between user privacy, content moderation, and youth protection — a debate that continues to shape global tech regulation in 2026.
