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Instagram Is Finally Cracking Down On Diet And Cosmetic Surgery Ads

In an attempt to prioritize mental health for younger users

Instagram has announced it has (at long last) enacted measures to protect younger users from harmful ads for diet supplements and cosmetic surgeries. Per a new report by The Guardian, starting yesterday, users under 18 will not be able to see ads promoting "the use of certain weight-loss products or cosmetic procedures, which have an incentive to buy or include a price" across Instagram and Facebook. Additionally, it will tighten up on the types of claims these advertisements make about such products and procedures. If these new restrictions aren't followed, these posts and ads will be subject to removal.

"We want Instagram to be a positive place for everyone that uses it and this policy is part of our ongoing work to reduce the pressure that people can sometimes feel as a result of social media," Instagram public policy manager Emma Collins told The Guardian. She continued, "We've sought guidance from external experts, including Dr. Ysabel Gerrard in the U.K., to make sure any steps to restrict and remove this content will have a positive impact on our community of over 1 billion people around the world—whilst ensuring Instagram remains a platform for expression and discussion."

Posts that will be specifically targeted for removal from the platform are those for diet and weight-loss products that include "miraculous" claims and include commercial offers. For example, the Kardashians and Amber Rose's ads for Flat Tummy Co. products would most likely be pulled based on these new guidelines, as well as Cardi B's ad for detox tea (all of which Jameela Jamil has been persistent in calling out online). Jamil reacted excitedly to the news of Instagram and Facebook's new guidelines, writing on Instagram, "This is an extraordinary win that is going to make a big difference."