Meta Is Testing AI That Can Catch Teenagers Trying to Get Around Age Rules on Instagram
Meta is now using AI to automatically determine whether an Instagram account belongs to a teen user.
The tech giant announced on Monday that it is starting to test AI in the U.S. that detects if an Instagram account belongs to a teen. It doesn't matter if the account lists an adult birthday — if Meta's AI detector suspects that the account belongs to a teen, Meta will recategorize the Instagram account as a specific Teen Account with protective settings and limits.
"Parents are busy and don't always have the time to review these settings," Meta wrote in a blog post. "That's why we're continuing to take additional steps to ensure as many teens as possible are in Teen Account settings."
Meta stated that users would have the option to change their settings if Meta's AI mistakenly classifies an adult account as a Teen Account.
Meta introduced Teen Accounts in September and has since enrolled at least 54 million teens globally into the accounts on Instagram. These accounts are private by default and have strict messaging restrictions, so teens can only be messaged by people they follow. They also prohibit sensitive content, like media that shows fighting or promotes cosmetic procedures, and give teens time limit reminders to leave the app after 60 minutes of use each day.
Meta expanded Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger earlier this month and announced that 97% of teens aged 13 to 15 opted to stick with these protected accounts on Instagram.
Meta has been investing in AI to help detect age for years. The company first announced its intent to invest in AI to have a clearer idea of users' ages in June 2022, writing that the AI would use information like when an account was created and how a user interacted with content to determine their age.
Meta's apps, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, have 3.35 billion daily active users as of the fourth quarter of 2024. Instagram has 169 million users in the U.S., per Statista estimates.
Related: 'A Real Uphill Battle': Meta's Antitrust Trial Is Happening Now. Here's What to Know.
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