Instagram slapped with cease and desist over its use of ‘PG-13’ teen accounts

The Motion Picture Association — the trade group in charge of movie ratings — has asked Meta to stop using its “PG-13” rating when referring to the type of content that teen accounts will see on Instagram. The MPA sent a cease and desist order to Meta on October 28th, saying Meta’s use of the rating is “literally false and highly misleading,” as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Last month, Meta announced an update to Instagram’s teen accounts that will only allow them to view content “similar to what they’d see in a PG-13 movie.” At the time, the MPA issued a statement that said it was “not contacted by Meta” before its announcement. Now it’s taking things a step further, arguing that Meta’s attempt to restrict content doesn’t follow the MPA’s “curated process” when determining ratings.

“The MPA has worked for decades to earn the public’s trust in its rating system,” a copy of the letter seen by The Verge states. “Meta’s claim that its Teen Accounts will be ‘guided by’ or ‘aligned with’ the MPA’s PG-13 rating and that Teen Account content will be ‘similar to’ what would be seen in a PG-13 movie has the real potential to erode that trust.”

Though the MPA requests that Meta permanently stop using the PG-13 mark and rating, it doesn’t seem like Meta plans on budging. In a response seen by The Verge, Meta claims that its use of the PG-13 rating qualifies as fair use. “Meta has never claimed or implied that its Teen Account offerings are officially PG-13 rated or certified by the MPA – in fact, it has expressly stated the opposite,” Meta writes.