NAIROBI, Kenya- Meta is ramping up its AI efforts to catch teens who misrepresent their age on Instagram, implementing new technology aimed at creating safer online spaces for young users.
Dubbed the “adult classifier,” this tool, set to launch early next year, will analyze user behaviors to identify those under 18—regardless of what age they claim on their profile—and apply Instagram’s strictest privacy settings to these accounts automatically.
Announced initially in September alongside the launch of dedicated teen accounts, Meta’s adult classifier tool will analyze various indicators, such as the accounts users follow and the type of content they interact with most frequently.
Allison Hartnett, Meta’s director of product management for youth and social impact, says this tool will ensure users identified as under 18 experience Instagram’s more restrictive settings.
These include an automatic private account setting and a ban on messaging strangers—measures the platform had previously begun to apply under pressure from lawmakers and parents.
This AI-driven solution comes as part of a larger initiative by Meta to prevent underage users from accessing adult content.
While Meta has yet to reveal how accurate the adult classifier will be, the company said in a statement that it is working on a process to allow users who feel they were misidentified to appeal the decision.
Meta’s new classifier isn’t the only tool for age verification on Instagram.
If teens attempt to alter their listed age, the platform will prompt them to verify their identity using either a government-issued ID or a video selfie through Yoti, a facial recognition platform Meta has previously used for age checks on Facebook Dating.
Yoti’s machine-learning algorithms analyze a user’s facial features to estimate their age, and both Meta and Yoti delete the video after the estimate is confirmed.
For additional security, Meta will flag attempts to create accounts with emails already associated with another account with a conflicting birthday. Device IDs will also help the platform track users creating new profiles to evade age verification.
Meta’s age-verification measures come at a time when tech companies are under significant scrutiny for failing to protect younger users from potentially harmful and addictive content.
A series of ongoing lawsuits filed against Meta, Google, and TikTok’s parent company ByteDance allege these companies have not adequately safeguarded youth from the negative impacts of social media.
A recent attempt by the three tech giants to have the lawsuits dismissed was denied by a U.S. federal judge, amplifying the pressure on social media platforms to prioritize user safety.
As Meta works to address these issues with AI and new verification tools, the company aims to foster a safer, more responsible digital space for its younger users—a commitment the tech giant is hoping will resonate with regulators, parents, and teens alike.
