Instagram is making it easier to control how much sensitive content appears in the Explore tab.
It's up to you to leave the tailored collection of public photos, videos, Reels, and Stories as is, or adjust the new Sensitive Content Control bar to see more or less of certain types of posts—including those that don't break the platform's rules, but could prove distressing to some (think sexually suggestive or violent images).
"Our Community Guidelines outline what kind of content can be on Instagram, and the point of these guidelines is to keep people safe," according to a company blog post. "We also have rules about what kind of content we show you in places like Explore; we call these our Recommendation Guidelines. These guidelines were designed to help ensure that we don't show you sensitive content from accounts you don't follow."
To adjust your standards, visit your profile > Settings > Account > Sensitive Content Control. Choose whether to keep the "Limit" default of "some photos and videos that could be upsetting or offensive," throw caution to the wind and allow more (not available to users under 18), or play it safe and limit further.
"We recognize that everybody has different preferences for what they want to see in Explore," Instagram's blog said, "and this control will give people more choice over what they see." The social network previously gave users more control over their experience with tools like the ability to turn off comments on a per-post basis or restrict someone from interacting with you.