The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Meta, objecting to the company’s use of “PG-13” terminology to describe its teen content filters on Instagram. The MPA argues that Meta’s claim of alignment with the film industry’s rating system is misleading, as Instagram’s automated moderation differs sharply from the MPA’s human-reviewed rating process.
The letter, sent to Meta Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Newstead on October 28, demands that Meta stop associating its teen safety tools and AI moderation systems with the PG-13 rating and refrain from using the trademarked term altogether. The MPA warned that the misuse of its certification mark could erode public confidence in the movie rating system.
Meta responded that it never implied a partnership with the MPA and introduced the filters to reassure parents about teen safety online. “We hope to work with the MPA to address their concerns,” a spokesperson said.
The conflict surfaces amid heightened U.S. regulatory scrutiny over Meta’s handling of youth safety and AI-generated content. The company has recently tightened restrictions on minors’ interactions with AI avatars and pledged stronger parental controls following lawsuits accusing it of failing to protect young users from harmful material.
