Meta is globally expanding the age estimation technology it uses to find teenagers on Instagram who haven’t correctly disclosed their age. The rollout will automatically place “millions more teens on Instagram into Teen Account protections,” according to Meta’s announcement, after launching the AI-powered age assurance updates in the US, EU, and Brazil last year.
The age detection tools proactively look for signals that likely determine whether Instagram users are under 18 years old, such as the other profiles and types of content they interact with, birthday messages they receive, and “general themes and visual cues” from uploaded photos and videos, including height and bone structure. Meta says that it’s also started using Apple’s age-range signal as an additional detection method in Australia.
The age assurance system is used to remove Instagram users who are believed to be under 13 (the minimum age required for Meta social accounts), and automatically place users between 13-17 under more restrictive Teen Accounts, even if they signed up using a fake adult birthday. Teen Accounts are designed to provide a safer and more age-appropriate experience by being private by default, limiting what kind of content teens can see, and preventing strangers from sending them DMs.
Parents and guardians can also choose to supervise Teen Accounts to set time limits and monitor how their child is using Instagram. Teen Account settings can’t be adjusted by users who are 16 or younger without a parent’s or guardian’s permission. Meta says that parents in the US will start receiving a notification on Instagram next month that explains the age estimation process, and how they can ensure their teen’s age is accurately reflected on the platform.
This global expansion follows a $17.1 billion lawsuit settlement in August in which Meta agreed to bolster its age assurance practices and place heavier restrictions on teen users. Meta hasn’t mentioned if or when automatic age assurance checks on Facebook, which rolled out to US accounts in May, will also be expanded to other regions.
