Instagram's Teen Account Messaging Rules May Revive Old Contacts Without Consent

Instagram's Teen Accounts classify users as "connected" to anyone they previously accepted a message from, even years ago, across any Meta platform. This means teens can receive messages from accounts they no longer remember or want to hear from without re-approving contact. The broad definition of connection also includes Facebook or Messenger friendships, creating unintended contact channels that override the system's stated privacy protections.