Instagram Expands AI-Based Age Detection Worldwide

Meta is expanding its AI-powered age estimation technology across Instagram markets worldwide to identify teenage users who may have entered incorrect dates of birth. Announcing the move on November 9, the company said the technology would help detect accounts belonging to users under 18, even when they claim to be adults. The system analyses profile information, posts, comments, captions, bios, photos and videos to identify age-related clues, such as birthday celebrations, school grades and visual indicators. Users aged 13 to 17 are automatically placed under Instagram’s Teen Account settings, while children under 13 are not permitted to create accounts on the platform. The move comes as Meta faces legal challenges over concerns about the impact of social media on teenagers.

Instagram’s Teen Accounts include additional safety features, such as restricting direct messages to people teenagers follow or are already connected with, hiding harmful comments and keeping accounts private by default. Meta said it is strengthening its technology to identify teenagers who attempt to bypass these protections by providing false age information. The company already uses similar age estimation tools on Facebook and plans to expand them to Threads later this year. The announcement comes amid growing global concerns about social media addiction among young users, with several countries, including India, considering stricter regulations. However, the wider use of AI-based age verification has also raised questions about user privacy and data security.