Meta has announced that Instagram is now actively using artificial intelligence to identify teenagers who falsely claim to be adults on the platform. When the system suspects that an account belongs to a teen, even if the account shows an adult birthday, it automatically moves the user into a restricted Teen Account. This feature is part of Instagram’s ongoing effort to improve safety measures for younger users.
Teen Accounts, introduced last year on Instagram, provide a safer experience by limiting who can contact young users and what type of content they can access. These accounts also require parental permission for teens under 16 to make certain changes to their settings. Meta has been using AI-based tools to estimate users’ ages for some time, but the company has now confirmed that it is applying these tools specifically to ensure that teenagers are correctly placed in Teen Accounts, even if they attempt to bypass the system by entering a false date of birth.
The company shared that its methods for detecting underage users include monitoring birthday-related posts and responding to reports from other users who suspect that someone might be misrepresenting their age. Meta emphasizes that it is working to ensure the accuracy of its technology and that users will still have the option to adjust their account settings if they believe they were wrongly categorized.
In its statement, Meta highlighted the importance of collaboration with parents to keep teens safe online. The platform will now send notifications to parents, offering guidance on how to talk with their teens about the importance of sharing accurate information when setting up their accounts. Parents are also encouraged to check their child’s listed birthdate to ensure proper account protections are in place.
