Mark Gregory - Biblical study with clarity, depth, and compassion

Yesterday, as I walked into the living room, my daughter looked me and asked, “Can I download Instagram?”

I didn’t hesitate. “No.”

She wasn’t happy. She told me all her friends were on Instagram, laughing about posts and videos she couldn’t see. She felt left out. Then she mentioned Instagram now has a “Teen Account” feature that is supposed to be safer. She, my wife, and I sat down and looked at it together. I told her Cherisse and I would talk about it.

Today, I started researching. My daughter might be upset with me, but what I found made my stomach turn.

Follow the Money

Instagram isn’t just unsafe. It’s unsafe by design.

Meta, the company behind Instagram, makes money by keeping people on the app as long as possible. The more you interact, the more ads they can sell. That means the more they connect people, even predators with minors, the more engagement goes up, and the more Meta profits.

It isn’t a glitch. It’s their business model. That model directly benefits Meta when predators can easily find and contact kids.

Federal investigations, lawsuits, whistleblower leaks, and news reports all the way up to August 2025 all show the same thing: predators and creeps use Instagram’s own features to find, track, and manipulate teens, even when every privacy setting is turned on.

If you are a teen, hear this clearly. Delete Instagram right now.

1. Algorithms Connect You to Predators

A federal investigation and lawsuits revealed that Instagram’s algorithms actively recommend minors’ accounts to predatory adults. Internal Meta documents show the platform pushes teen profiles straight into the hands of creeps to keep engagement high.

Meta even admitted in court, “Instagram’s automated recommendations let child groomers easily discover and contact victims.”
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2. Predators Who Get Reported Come Right Back

Meta removes millions of predator-linked accounts. That sounds good until you learn it’s only a small percentage and that the same predators simply create new accounts over and over. Experts call these removals a “band-aid” because they do not solve the real problem.
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3. Private Messages Are Not Private

Instagram claims your DMs are “secure.” They are not. Meta’s AI scans them, stores the data, and has even exposed private chats to the public through technical bugs. Predators can use these openings to make contact.
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4. Meta Tracks Everything You Do on Your Phone

Meta tracks far more than your Instagram activity. It watches every app you open, every search you make, and everywhere you go. Predators can buy this data through Instagram’s ad system and use it to send highly targeted, manipulative messages to teens.
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5. They Collect Data from Kids Illegally

Meta has been caught violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting data from kids under 13 without parental consent. That information can end up in the wrong hands.
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6. Your Location Is Always Known

Turning off location services does not protect you. Meta can still figure out where you are by using your phone’s IP address and the data hidden in your photos. Predators can buy and use this information.
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7. Deleted Posts Are Not Really Deleted

When you delete a post or photo, Meta still keeps it in its archives. Predators can use old content to learn about your habits, location, or vulnerabilities.
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8. Meta’s Data Leaks Have Put Teens at Risk

From Cambridge Analytica to other major breaches, teen data, including emails, locations, and interests has been leaked to criminals and predators.
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9. Stories and Reels Feed Predators

Instagram encourages posting constantly. The more you share, the more a predator can learn about where you are, when you are online, and who you are with.
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10. Fake Ads Are a Predator’s Trap

Predators use fake ads to pretend they are legitimate brands. Teens click, share personal info, and make contact without realizing the danger.
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11. Meta’s “Safety Updates” Do Not Fix the Problem

Experts, lawmakers, and child safety groups say Meta’s safety updates are minimal, slow, and mostly for public relations. The core algorithms that feed predators are still in place.
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Bottom Line

Instagram is not an accident waiting to happen. It is a predator-friendly system that makes Meta billions. Every post, every click, and every message feeds a machine that rewards more interaction… Even when that interaction puts kids in direct danger.

Teens: Delete Instagram.
Parents: Talk to your kids today and read Common Sense Media: Privacy and Internet Safety Guide.

Do it now, before a predator finds them.

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Yesterday, My Daughter Asked for Instagram