#BigChange for Instagram: As of today, you can no longer follow a hashtag (e.g., #healthycooking). Instagram pulled the plug, saying its hashtags are a mess of spam, bots and irrelevant posts. Try the “Explore” tab instead.
Block porn on X
The social network X (I still think of it as Twitter) has always had its seedier corners, but now Elon Musk has officially said porn is OK on the platform. And to keep your, uh, activity private, they’re now hiding likes, too. Coincidence? Yeah, I don’t think so.
Running into X-rated images is not going to be OK with millions of X users. If your kid is on X, you should walk them through these steps. If you don’t want to see … well, whatever people start posting, pop into your settings, too. It’s easiest to do on your computer.
To turn off the NSFW stuff on the web:
- Click More > Settings and privacy.
- Choose Privacy and safety > Content you see.
- Uncheck the Display media that may contain sensitive content box.
- Click Search settings and check Hide sensitive content.
You can get specific, too
On the Privacy and safety menu, there’s also a Mute and block option. Use this to hide certain words, hashtags and accounts you don’t want popping up on your timeline (or your kids’ timelines).
- Choose Muted words.
- Click the + (plus) button (top right) > Enter the word to block — like #nsfw.
- Make sure From anyone and Until you unmute the word are selected.
- Click Save.
Pro tip: NSFW means “not safe for work.” Yeah, use your imagination and you’ll know what kind of pics that means.
A word of warning
If you’re setting up these filters for your children rather than yourself, they can turn them right back off again. Don’t sneak in and do it — have a frank chat about why these settings should be adjusted. A good conversation can do wonders.
If all else fails, though, there are stricter options.
- On Apple phones and laptops, use the Screen Time feature to put limits on content and apps. Go to Settings > Screen Time on an iPhone or System Settings > Screen Time on a Mac.
- On Android, install Google Family Link, and on Windows try Microsoft Family Safety.
Finally! Meta will tell you what you did to land in Facebook jail
Facebook jail is a term used to describe disruptions in an account’s ability to do certain things on the platform. Businesses may have their ads removed or shown to fewer people, often due to spamming and other community standard violations.
Don’t do this: Gen Zers are venting about their jobs online with hashtags like #9to5IsNotForMe. Some even include their coworkers’ names and faces. This is a one-way ticket to getting fired and scaring away future employers. If you have a teen or college kid at home, tell them to be smarter than this.
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