Instagram is ramping up its efforts to protect young users by deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and manage accounts of underage users who misrepresent their age. The Meta-owned platform announced this week that it is testing new AI-powered tools to identify teens who falsely claim to be adults in order to bypass age-related restrictions.
According to Meta, the AI system has already been used to determine users’ age ranges “for some time.” However, the company is now moving to actively seek out accounts it suspects belong to teens—even if the profiles list adult birthdays. These identified accounts will automatically be placed under Instagram’s ‘Teen Account’ settings.
Teen Accounts, introduced in 2023, come with stricter privacy and content limitations. Accounts in this category are private by default, can only receive direct messages from people they follow, and are shielded from viewing sensitive content such as violent videos or promotions of cosmetic procedures.
Meta emphasized its commitment to accuracy, noting that users will have the ability to appeal or update their settings if mistakes are made. “We’re taking steps to ensure our technology is accurate and that we are correctly placing teens we identify into protective, age-appropriate settings,” the company said in a blog post.
The move is part of a broader strategy by Meta to address growing concerns about the negative impact of social media on children’s mental health and well-being. Earlier this month, Teen Accounts were also rolled out to Facebook and Messenger, further extending the reach of these safeguards.
This latest development comes amid mounting legal and regulatory scrutiny. Meta, along with other tech giants like ByteDance’s TikTok and Google’s YouTube, is facing hundreds of lawsuits in the United States and the European Union. These legal actions accuse the platforms of designing addictive features that are especially harmful to young users, prompting calls for stricter protections.
As lawmakers push for greater accountability from social media companies, Instagram’s AI-driven age verification tool signals a proactive if overdue attempt to create a safer online environment for teenagers.
