California (Web Desk): It will soon become easier to identify underage users on the social media platform Instagram who conceal their actual age and present themselves as adults. Meta has announced plans to expand its artificial intelligence-based age detection system worldwide, which will estimate users’ actual ages using information beyond the dates of birth they provide.
According to Meta, the purpose of this initiative is to provide children and teenagers with age-appropriate content and ensure their safety on Instagram. The company initially introduced this technology in April 2025. Under the system, artificial intelligence does not rely solely on the date of birth provided by users to determine their age.
The new system will also be able to identify teenagers who enter an age of 18 or above in their accounts to present themselves as adults, even though their actual age is lower. If the artificial intelligence system identifies a user as underage, they can automatically be transferred to Instagram’s dedicated Teen Account.
Meta introduced Teen Accounts in September 2024 for teenagers aged 13 to 17. These accounts include age-appropriate safety restrictions designed to limit access to inappropriate content, discourage unwanted contact and regulate the amount of time users spend on the app.
The company is now expanding this technology globally. In the initial phase, parents in the United States will be informed through a special video on their Instagram feeds about how the platform identifies teenage users and implements age-appropriate measures to protect them.
Meta says that providing a safe digital environment for children and teenagers is among its priorities, and it will further increase the use of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, to achieve this goal.