Instagram is expanding its AI age verification system worldwide. This aims to identify teens who may have entered an adult age when creating an account and place them into safer Teen Accounts.
According to Meta, the system uses AI to figure out if an account likely belongs to a teenager. Instead of relying only on the birth date entered during sign-up, Instagram looks at different signals across an account.
These signals can include birthday posts, school-related details, profile information, captions, comments, and other activity. The goal is to better identify users who are under 18.
When Instagram’s system detects that an account likely belongs to a teen, it can automatically move the user into a Teen Account. These accounts come with extra protections meant for younger users.
Teen Accounts limit who can send direct messages and help reduce exposure to harmful content. They also include privacy settings and screen time tools designed to create a safer experience on the platform.
Meta says the rollout is part of its broader effort to improve online safety for young users. The company is also bringing similar age estimation technology to Facebook, with plans to expand it to Threads as well.
The company will also show educational videos to parents in the United States. These videos will explain how its age detection technology works and how safety protections are applied.
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The change means more teens could automatically get added protections, even if they enter the wrong age when signing up.
