Meta, the parent company of Instagram, is rolling out a new artificial intelligence tool aimed at enhancing the safety of young users on its platform. Dubbed the “adult classifier,” this AI-powered system is designed to sift through Instagram accounts to effectively categorize users as either under or over the age of 18.
The initiative is part of Meta’s broader effort to ensure that teenagers using Instagram are properly identified, safeguarding them from potentially inappropriate content and interactions. This move follows the launch of the Teen Accounts feature in September, which specifically targets the demographic of under-18 users.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the AI tool examines user profiles, their follower lists, and the types of content they interact with to assess their age bracket accurately. Once identified, any user under 18 will be transitioned into a teen account, regardless of the age stated on their profile. This ensures that even crafty users attempting to bypass age restrictions will be caught in the new system.
Moreover, teenagers aged 16 and 17 will have the ability to manage their privacy settings on their own. However, those under 16 will require parental consent to make changes, providing an additional safeguard for younger users.
To prevent age falsification, Meta will automatically flag suspicious activities, such as registering multiple accounts using the same email but with varying birthdates. It can also verify device details, like a phone’s unique ID, to ensure account authenticity.
If teens wish to update their ages, they will need to provide formal identification. This can be in the form of a driver’s license or a video selfie verified by Yoti, a third-party service. Importantly, Meta assures users that these images will be deleted from their servers post-verification to maintain privacy.
This proactive approach by Meta not only aims to improve user experiences for teenagers but also underscores their commitment to a safer online environment for young individuals engaging on Instagram.
