Meta is expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to identify teenagers on Instagram, even if they enter a false date of birth to show that they are adults. The company wants to ensure that more teenagers get safety features designed for users aged 13 to 17. Meta said its AI technology can identify accounts that may belong to teenagers, even when users enter an adult date of birth while creating their accounts. Once identified, these accounts will be placed under Teen Account protections. The move comes at a time when social media companies are facing growing pressure to make their platforms safer for children. Meta said a million more teenagers across the world will now get these protections as it expands the technology globally.
What are Teen Accounts?
Teen Accounts are special accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger for users aged 13 to 17. These accounts have safety settings that limit who can contact teenagers, the content they can see and the time they spend on the apps. These protections are switched on automatically. This means teenagers do not have to change their privacy settings themselves to get these safety features updated.
How will AI identify teenagers?
Meta said it uses AI to look for signs that an account may belong to a teenager. This will help the company identify users who enter a false date of birth to register as adults. The company has not shared all the details of how its AI technology works. However, it said the system will help move such accounts into Teen Account protections, even if users have given an adult age. Meta is also expanding this technology on Facebook. It plans to introduce similar features globally on Threads later this year.
How will Apple help Meta?
In Australia, Meta has started using Apple’s age-range signal to understand the age of users. When parents set up a smartphone for their children, they can allow the app store to confirm the user’s age range. This information can then be shared with app developers when the user downloads an app.
Meta believes that a common age-verification system across app stores could help provide better protection to teenagers across different platforms. The company is also working to identify children under 13, who are not allowed to use its platforms. Meta has urged other social media platforms, including TikTok and YouTube, to take similar steps to protect young users.
