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.”
Sources:
- Bloomberg: Instagram Urged ‘Groomers’ to Connect With Minors, FTC Says
- PYMNTS.com: FTC Uses Meta Emails to Show Instagram’s Role in Enabling Online Predators
- Wall Street Journal: Meta Is Struggling to Boot Pedophiles Off Facebook and Instagram
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.
Sources:
- AP News: Meta takes down thousands of Facebook, Instagram accounts linked to Nigerian sextortion scams
- Mashable: Meta deletes 600K accounts linked to predatory behavior
- The Verge: Instagram changes algorithm accused of steering predators to children
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.
Sources:
- Brand Activator: Meta’s AI to Access DMs on Request, Raising Privacy Concerns
- Social Media Today: Meta Warns Users Its AI Systems Will Scan DMs When Prompted
- Malwarebytes: Your Meta AI chats might be public, and it’s not a bug
- Drexel University: Machine learning program detects sexually unsafe conversations among teens on Instagram
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.
Source:
- Tom’s Guide: Meta called out for tracking Android users across the web without their consent
- Sky News: Meta found ‘covertly tracking’ Android users through Instagram and Facebook
- EFF: Protect Yourself From Meta’s Latest Attack on Privacy
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.
Sources:
- California Attorney General: Arizona, California, Colorado, et al v. Meta — Official court filing (PDF)
- Business & Human Rights: Meta allegedly targeted ads at teens based on their emotional state
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.
Source:
- CNBC: Instagram’s map feature spurs user backlash over privacy concerns
- NY Post: Instagram’s new location tracking feature accused of attracting stalkers
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.
Source:
- The Verge: Instagram kept deleted photos and messages on its servers for more than a year due to a now-fixed bug
- Security Magazine: Facebook retains consumer data for 180 days post account deletion
- PCMag: Personal Data Found on Instagram’s Servers 7 Years After User Deleted Files
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.
Source:
- BBC: Instagram fined €405m over children’s data privacy
- HNK Solicitors: Instagram fined record €405 million over children’s data privacy
- Bank Info Security: Instagram Leaked Minors’ PII Again, But Now It’s Fixed
- Firewall Times: Instagram Data Breaches: Full Timeline Through 2023
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.
Source:
- Motley Rice: Is Instagram Safe for Kids? Use and Related Harms
- We Live Security: Instagram and teens: A quick guide for parents to keep their kids safe
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.
Source:
- Vice: Instagram and Facebook Are Overrun With Thousands of Scam Ads
- Kaspersky: How Meta’s social networks became a platform for investment scams
- Mobicip: Common Online Scams Targeting Teens: A Parent’s Guide
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.
Sources:
- SurfTechIT: Meta tightens teen safety rules amid criticism
- NPR: Instagram teen account controls questioned
- Social Media Victims Law Center: Criticism of Meta’s new safety features
- BBC: Meta expands Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger
- ABC7NY: Instagram will force millions of teens into protected accounts
- The Verge: Instagram algorithm steering predators
- Engadget: Meta whistleblower slams company on child safety
- Fairplay: Complaint on Meta’s child privacy violations
- ABC3340: Meta’s historic reluctance to protect children
- Fox Business: Meta struggles to remove predators
- NY Post: Meta panic over grooming disclosures at FTC trial
- ABC News: Instagram’s teen restrictions criticized
- The Verge: Meta tries to offload kids safety responsibility
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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