Meta is rolling out its AI-driven age estimation technology globally to identify teenagers on Instagram who provided incorrect birth dates. This system builds on initial launches in the US, EU, and Brazil last year, aiming to apply stricter protections to millions of additional accounts.
The detection tools analyze user behavior, including interactions with profiles and content, birthday messages, and visual cues from media like height and bone structure. In Australia, Meta has also integrated Apple’s age-range signal to enhance the accuracy of its verification process.
Users identified as under 13 are removed from the platform, while those aged 13 to 17 are automatically moved to Teen Accounts. These accounts feature default privacy settings, restricted content, and blocked direct messages from strangers, with parental supervision options available.
Users aged 16 or younger cannot modify their account settings without parental consent. Starting next month, parents in the US will receive notifications explaining the estimation process and how to verify their child's age on the platform.
This global expansion follows a $17,1 billion lawsuit settlement reached in August, where Meta committed to strengthening its age verification practices. The company has not yet announced plans to expand similar automatic checks to Facebook globally.
