backInstagram Reclassification: What Changed
On June 11, 2025, Brazil’s Ministry of Justice raised the age rating for Instagram from 14 to 16 years. The decision followed a routine analysis that identified content involving intense sexual activity, use of illicit drugs, and mutilation — elements deemed inappropriate for individuals under the age of 16.
As a result, the platform must update its age classification in app stores and strengthen protection mechanisms, such as sensitive content warnings and parental controls. Although the new rating does not legally prohibit minors under 16 from using Instagram, it serves as an official recommendation for parents, guardians, and users, based on guidelines from the Ministry of Justice.
How the Age Rating System Works in Brazil
In Brazil, the age rating system is managed by the Indicative Classification Coordination (Cocind), a body linked to the Department for the Promotion of Justice Policies (DPJUS) within the National Secretariat of Justice, under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP).
Its purpose is to inform parents and guardians about the appropriateness of audiovisual works, electronic games, apps, and other media content, based on criteria related to Sex, Violence, and Drugs — evaluated according to frequency, intensity, context, and relevance in the work.
Main Age Ratings and Criteria
| Age Rating | Main Criteria |
|---|---|
| All Ages | Fantasy violence; non-erotic nudity; moderate or implied use of legal substances |
| 10 years | Mild or low-impact violence; educational sex content; mention of legal drugs |
| 12 years | Moderate violence; veiled nudity; sexual innuendo; mention of illegal drugs; bullying |
| 14 years | Eroticism; nudity; sexual activity; mild graphic violence; drug trafficking descriptions |
| 16 years | Intense sexual activity; use and trafficking of illegal drugs; mutilation; torture; suicide |
| 18 years | Explicit sex; extreme violence; cruelty; advocacy of illegal drug use |
These categories are accompanied by content descriptors such as “Extreme Violence”, “Sexual Content”, or “Illegal Drugs”, which help clarify the reason for the classification.
Age Rating as a Public Policy Tool
Brazil’s age rating system is informative, not censorial: it does not prohibit the distribution of content or restrict access to works. It also does not apply to journalistic, political, or ideological content. Its purpose is to support families in managing media consumption and to uphold the full protection of children and adolescents, as guaranteed by the Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA).
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