Facebook, Instagram to Block Under-18s From Seeing Sexual Content

Facebook and its photo-sharing platform Instagram will introduce a policy change in the beginning of the next year, which will hide suggestive advertisements and images for users below 18 years.

As part of the policy change, the social networking giant will bar several types of sexually explicit content for users across the globe.

Teenagers would be barred from viewing sexualised adverts, fictional depictions of sex and artistic portrayals of nudity or sexual acts, the Daily Mail reported on Monday quoting The Telegraph.

The advertisments, containing "implicit sexual activity" and photos of artworks that depict sexual activity, will, however, remain visible to adults.

The restrictions will solely depend on teenagers who register their right ages. It's highly likely for the underage users to lie and view inappropriate content.

The social networking giant reportedly consulted 25 experts, including LGBT, diversity and free speech activists as well child-safety campaigners, before considering the change.

But with more than 60,000 UK Facebook users under the age of 12 when the age restriction is 13, it could prove fruitless, the Daily Mail report added.