Meta has introduced a new AI-powered system on Instagram to identify teens who lie about their age to avoid content restrictions. The platform announced on Monday that when it suspects an account belongs to a teenager, it will automatically place that account into a Teen Account—even if the user has entered a birth date indicating they are an adult.
Teen Accounts, which launched on Instagram last year, are designed to offer a more secure app experience for young users. These accounts include built-in safety measures that restrict who can contact the user and the kind of content they can access. Teens under the age of 16 must receive parental approval to change any default privacy settings.
Instagram has used AI for age detection for some time. Now, Meta confirms it is actively using this technology to ensure that young users access Instagram through protected Teen Accounts, rather than standard adult profiles.
Last year, Meta said that it planned to expand the use of AI to catch teens using false birthdays. Methods include analyzing birthday posts and investigating user reports that suggest someone is underage.
Meta is Promoting More Safety, More Parental Involvement
According to Instagram, steps are being taken to ensure the AI system accurately identifies teen users. If a user is mistakenly categorized, they will be able to adjust their settings. “The digital world continues to evolve and we have to evolve with it,” Meta wrote in its blog post. “That’s why it’s important that we work together with parents to make sure as many teens as possible have the protective settings that come with Teen Accounts.”
In addition, Instagram will now notify parents with guidance on how to talk to their teens about providing accurate age information online. The platform emphasized that verifying a teen’s correct birth date is one of the most effective ways to ensure they’re enrolled in a protected account.
This announcement comes just two weeks after Meta introduced Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger. So far, the company says more than 54 million teens have been enrolled in Teen Accounts across its platforms, with 97% of users aged 13 to 15 still using these protected profiles.
