Instagram is starting to trial a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature aimed at detecting when users are lying about their age on the platform, according to its parent company Meta Platforms, reports Breaking News.
Meta stated that it has already been using AI to assess users’ ages, but the photo and video-sharing platform will now “proactively” seek out accounts that are believed to be operated by teenagers, even if a false birthdate was provided during sign-up.
If the system identifies an account as misrepresenting a user’s age, it will be automatically switched to a teen account, which includes stricter controls compared to adult accounts, reports Breaking News.
Teen profiles are automatically set to private, and private messages are limited — teens can only receive them from people they already follow or have mutual connections with.
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Meta added that “sensitive content,” such as violent videos or posts promoting cosmetic surgery, will be restricted for these users.
Additionally, teenagers will be notified if they spend more than 60 minutes on Instagram, and a “sleep mode” will be activated that disables notifications and auto-replies to DMs between 10pm and 7am, reports Breaking News.
Meta explained that its AI looks for various cues — including profile details, the kind of content the user engages with, and the timing of account creation — to help determine a user’s actual age.
This move comes amid mounting pressure on social media platforms to better protect young users’ mental health and overall wellbeing, reports Breaking News.
Meanwhile, several US states are pushing to implement laws requiring age verification on digital platforms, although these efforts have met with legal challenges.
Meta, along with other tech companies, has voiced support for having app stores take responsibility for verifying users’ ages in response to growing criticism that they’re not doing enough to ensure children’s safety or block access for users under the age of 13.
Instagram also plans to alert parents, providing them with “information about how they can have conversations with their teens on the importance of providing the correct age online,” according to the company, reports Breaking News.
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