Learn how to adjust the Sensitive Content Control to see less or more sensitive content recommendations when browsing Instagram on your phone or computer.
Sensitive Content Control is a handy privacy feature that lets you choose whether to show more or less photos and videos that you may find sensitive.
Everyone has different preferences for what they want to see in recommendations. Sensitive Content Control allows the user to decide how much sensitive content shows up on the platform for them.
While Instagram will take down posts that go against its community guidelines, users must tell Instagram about other content they don’t want to see so that the algorithm can filter from their Home, Search, hashtag, Explore, or other spots.
Note that limiting sensitive content won’t affect what you see in your Instagram inbox or from people you follow.
Also see: How to stop Instagram from limiting political content in your feed
How to influence recommendations on Instagram
You can adjust your Sensitive Content Control setting to the desired level through a dedicated section that can be found within Instagram’s account settings.
1) Open the Instagram app and go to your profile screen.
2) Tap the hamburger menu icon in the top-right corner.
3) Scroll down to the ‘What you see’ heading and tap Suggested content.
4) Tap Sensitive content, choose how much sensitive content you want to see, and tap Confirm:
- Less: Show less content that you may find questionable
- Standard: Show some content that could be upsetting. This is the default setting.
- More: See more sensitive content.
Note that the “More” setting is unavailable to Instagram users under 18.
Content categories that Instagram considers sensitive
Here are some examples of what Instagram considers potentially questionable content that some people may find upsetting but can be managed via the Sensitive Content Control feature:
- Sexually explicit or suggestive content, like photos of people in see-through clothing
- Content depicting violence, like people fighting
- Content that may be about drugs or firearms
- Content that promotes the use of tobacco or vaping products
- Content about adult products/services or pharmaceutical drugs
Instagram explains:
Although those kinds of posts may not necessarily violate Instagram’s Recommendation Guidelines, some people may find them upsetting and they may not be eligible for recommendations.
And this, on the recommendation guidelines and sensitive content:
These guidelines were designed to help ensure that we don’t show you sensitive content from accounts you don’t follow. You can think of sensitive content as posts that don’t necessarily break our rules, but could potentially be upsetting to some people.
For further information on Sensitive Content Control, visit Instagram’s Help Center.
Recommendation guidelines vs. community guidelines
If you’re wondering about the differences between Instagram’s recommendation guidelines and community guidelines, you may find the following links helpful:
Here’s a brief introduction to both guidelines.
About Instagram’s community guidelines: These guidelines outline what’s allowed on Instagram. Instagram will remove any reported posts that may pose a risk of harm to people and posts that go against these guidelines. As an example, Instagram will take down any posts trying to sell or trade regulated goods, content that contains adult nudity or sexual activity and graphically violent content. Sensitive Content Control does not apply to content that violates the community guidelines.
About Instagram’s recommendation guidelines: Instagram’s recommendation guidelines determine what kind of content the platform shows users in places like Explore. If a post violates these recommendation guidelines, Instagram will reduce it from places like Explore rather than take it down completely.
More on Instagram: