Meta is broadening the reach of the age estimation system it uses on Instagram to identify teenagers who have not reported their age accurately, the company said. The global expansion means the platform will automatically enroll “millions more teens on Instagram into Teen Account protections,” according to Meta’s announcement. The company had previously introduced the AI-powered age assurance updates in the US, EU, and Brazil last year.
The detection tools actively search for signs that an Instagram user is likely under 18. Among the signals Meta cited are the profiles and content types a user engages with, birthday messages the user receives, and “general themes and visual cues” taken from photos and videos that have been uploaded, including height and bone structure. Meta also said it has begun using Apple’s age-range signal as an additional detection method in Australia.
The age assurance system serves two purposes. It removes Instagram users believed to be under 13, the minimum age Meta requires for social accounts, and it automatically moves users between 13 and 17 into the more restrictive Teen Accounts, even when they registered with a false adult birthday. Teen Accounts are built to offer a safer, more age-appropriate experience: they are private by default, limit the content teens can see, and block strangers from sending them direct messages.
Guardians can also opt to supervise a Teen Account, setting time limits and monitoring how their child uses Instagram. Users who are 16 or younger cannot change Teen Account settings without permission from a parent or guardian. Meta said parents in the US will begin receiving an Instagram notification next month explaining the age estimation process and how they can make sure their teen’s age is correctly reflected on the platform.
The global rollout follows a $17.1 billion lawsuit settlement in August, under which Meta agreed to strengthen its age assurance practices and impose heavier restrictions on teen users. Meta has not said whether or when automatic age assurance checks on Facebook, which reached US accounts in May, will be extended to other regions.
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