Meta is expanding the AI age estimation technology it uses to find teenagers on Instagram who haven't disclosed their real age, taking the system global after launching it in the US, EU, and Brazil last year. According to Meta's announcement, reported by The Verge, the rollout will automatically place "millions more teens on Instagram into Teen Account protections."
The move matters because teens routinely lie about their age to dodge restrictions, and Meta is now using AI to catch them anyway. The company says it is encouraged by early results and is scaling the system worldwide.
How Instagram's AI age detection works
The system proactively looks for signals that suggest an Instagram user is under 18. According to Meta, these include the profiles and types of content a user interacts with, birthday messages they receive, and what The Verge describes as "general themes and visual cues" from uploaded photos and videos, including height and bone structure.
In Australia, Meta says it has also started using Apple's age-range signal as an additional detection method. The age assurance system removes users believed to be under 13, the minimum age for Meta social accounts, and automatically places users aged 13 to 17 into more restrictive Teen Accounts, even if they signed up with a fake adult birthday.
What Teen Accounts change for younger users
Teen Accounts are designed to give younger users a safer, more age-appropriate experience on Instagram. Meta says the accounts are private by default, limit the kind of content teens can see, and prevent strangers from sending them direct messages.
Parents and guardians can also choose to supervise a Teen Account, setting time limits and monitoring how their child uses Instagram. Teen Account settings can't be adjusted by users aged 16 or younger without a parent's or guardian's permission, according to Meta.
Notifications, a lawsuit settlement, and what's next
Meta says parents in the US will start receiving a notification on Instagram next month explaining the age estimation process and how to make sure their teen's age is accurately reflected on the platform. According to 9to5Mac, the notification links to a video and an article by internet safety advocate Larry Magid on Meta's multi-layered age assurance approach.
The global expansion follows a $17.1 billion lawsuit settlement in August, in which Meta agreed to strengthen its age assurance practices and place heavier restrictions on teen users. 9to5Mac reports that Meta says the same protections will also be rolled out to Threads and Facebook, though Meta hasn't said if or when automatic age checks on Facebook, which came to US accounts in May, will expand to other regions.
