Overview

• A 37-year-old Instagram user reported being shown “Get Threads” promotions that embedded posts of uniformed girls as young as 13 with faces and, in many cases, names visible.
• Parents said they did not consent to this use of their images, and one mother said a private Instagram account auto–cross-posted to Threads where the content became visible.
• Meta said the images were publicly shared by adults, complied with community standards and recommendation guidelines, and that its systems avoid recommending Threads posts shared by teenagers.
• One mother’s post drew nearly 7,000 views, with about 90% from non-followers, half over age 44, and 90% men, highlighting reach beyond her 267 followers.
• Children’s online-safety advocates, including Beeban Kidron, urged Ofcom to consider whether the practice conflicts with new illegal harms codes intended to reduce unknown adult access to children.