Meta is rolling out AI-powered age estimation on Instagram worldwide to identify teens who register as adults, a bid to strengthen protections for younger users amid intensifying legal and political pressure. The system analyzes account behavior and other signals—not facial recognition—to infer whether a user is likely 13 to 17, then automatically applies “Teen Account” safeguards such as stricter privacy defaults, tighter messaging limits and reduced exposure to sensitive content. The company plans similar measures on Facebook and later Threads, and is testing external age-range signals in some markets.
The expansion follows multibillion-dollar settlements with U.S. states over alleged harms to minors and new requirements, including time limits and nighttime restrictions for teen accounts. While advocates praised the broader safety net, accuracy concerns persist: adults may be misclassified and some minors could still evade detection. Meta says users can verify their age to correct errors. For parents, the company is promoting supervision tools and education resources as regulators in the U.S. and abroad escalate oversight of youth protections on social media.
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