Instagram announced today that it would restrict posts promoting cosmetic surgery and diet products for people under the age of 18. As influencer marketing grows, the company wants to put up a barrier between impressionable users and weight loss products that might be pushed by the people they follow.
"We want Instagram to be a positive place for everyone that uses it and this policy is part of our ongoing work to reduce the pressure that people can sometimes feel as a result of social media," Instagram public policy manager Emma Collins said in a statement.
Jameela Jamil, an actress on The Good Place who has been an outspoken advocate for stricter restrictions on what can be marketed on the platform, celebrated the news in a post.
"After a bunch of shouting, screaming, and petitioning... we have managed to get the attention of the people at the top, and they have heard us and want to protect us. And this is just the beginning of our efforts. As of now, if you’re under 18, you will no longer be exposed to any diet/detox products, and for all other ages; all fad products that have bogus, unrealistic claims will be taken down and easy to report," she said. "I’ve been working with Instagram all year towards this, who were amazing to deal with, and they expressed that they passionately care about creating a safer space for us all online."
Jamil has previously gone after influencers and artists who promoted products that could be dangerous, such as detox tea.
Buzzfeed News reporter Ryan Broderick revealed that the clampdown came quick. He posted a Kim Kardashian photo from January that has already fallen behind the content-restricting filter.
