Instagram uses AI to detect teens lying about their age and automatically switch to restricted accounts

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Meta will use AI to predict the ages of Instagram users and automatically switch anyone under 18 to a teen account if the tool believes they are lying about their age.

Following a nationwide outcry over the impact of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook on teen mental health, Meta introduced teen accounts in September. Teen accounts for kids ages 13 to 17 have built-in limits on who they can contact and what content they can view. They are automatically set to hide potentially offensive comments and message requests.

Teen-safe accounts will only work if people under 18 voluntarily use them or are honest about their age, which is why Meta has come up with a way to enforce appropriate accounts. A proprietary software tool Meta has developed, called an 'adult classifier,' will go live next year and is designed to categorize users into two groups: Under or over 18. The tool will scan users' profiles, the content they interact with, and their follower lists to determine their age, according to Allison Hartnett, Meta's director of product management for teens and social impact. Even innocuous "happy birthday" messages can be used to help determine a user's true age.

Instagram uses AI to detect teens lying about their age and automatically switch to restricted accounts
Meta's own research from 2019 found that social media apps like Instagram can be harmful to teens' mental health.

Because teen accounts are new and currently voluntary, there are a large number of teen users on Instagram who still use regular adult accounts. Meta plans to start moving teens who have voluntarily provided their age information to the new teen accounts very soon and introduce the 'adult classifier' early next year.

The move is Meta's latest attempt to address some of the public backlash over social media's impact on teens. In 2021, a report published in The Wall Street Journal found that Meta's reporting indicated that it knew Instagram was harmful to the mental health of teens, especially teenage girls. "We make body image issues worse for one in three teenage girls ," a slide from Meta's own 2019 report said.

Sign up and earn $1000 a day ⋙

Leave a Comment

Instagram Will Allow Reels Up to 3 Minutes Long

Instagram Will Allow Reels Up to 3 Minutes Long

Instagram has just announced that it will allow users to post Reels videos up to 3 minutes long, double the previous 90-second limit.

Instagram Now Lets Users Schedule and Pin Direct Messages

Instagram Now Lets Users Schedule and Pin Direct Messages

Instagram's direct messaging feature is now getting a bunch of new features, including scheduled direct messages that you can write in advance and set to send at a later date, up to 29 days in advance.

Apple Intelligence Blocked on All Meta Apps on iOS

Apple Intelligence Blocked on All Meta Apps on iOS

Apple Intelligence is an artificial intelligence (AI) system developed by Apple specifically for its devices including iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Best time to post Instagram Reels

Best time to post Instagram Reels

The timing of your Instagram Reels can make the difference between massive engagement and dead silence. Let’s find out the best times to post on Instagram Reels.

How to sell on Instagram

How to sell on Instagram

This guide will give you the tools and strategies to successfully sell products on Instagram.

Instagram Will Replace AR Filters With Controversial AI-Generated Videos

Instagram Will Replace AR Filters With Controversial AI-Generated Videos

As reported in August, Meta confirmed that it will discontinue Spark, Instagram's AR filter, in January 2025.

Instagram confirms testing new Dislike button

Instagram confirms testing new Dislike button

It is a fact that not everything shared on social media receives positive feedback from users.

How to know if someone has deactivated or deleted their Instagram account?

How to know if someone has deactivated or deleted their Instagram account?

When someone leaves a social network, it affects their close friends - sharing messages, calls, and content is no longer the same. This can happen when your favorite account leaves Instagram.

Create Instagram account without phone number

Create Instagram account without phone number

Learn how to create an Instagram account without a phone number. This step-by-step guide will help you sign up using an email address instead, making it quick and easy.

How to Hide Your Instagram Account and Prevent Other Users from Finding You

How to Hide Your Instagram Account and Prevent Other Users from Finding You

If you don't want to be visible, there are a few things you can do to hide your Instagram account and prevent your contacts and others from finding you on the social network.

Meta AI Makes Instagram Fun Again

Meta AI Makes Instagram Fun Again

While Meta AI isn't the most comprehensive AI tool, it does have a specific use on Instagram to help users find more content to enjoy.

Instagram rolls out Find My Friends-like feature to share live location

Instagram rolls out Find My Friends-like feature to share live location

Instagram users will soon have access to a similar feature to share their location with friends and family right from the social network.

Instructions for logging out of Instagram account remotely

Instructions for logging out of Instagram account remotely

Instructions for remotely logging out of your Instagram account. If you don't know how to remotely log out of your Instagram account, today WebTech360 would like to introduce

Cant access Facebook, Messenger and Instagram, how to fix it immediately

Cant access Facebook, Messenger and Instagram, how to fix it immediately

Users reported that their Facebook, Messenger and Instagram accounts were suddenly logged out and could not be accessed again, both on the app and web version.

How to add Copilot to Microsoft Office 365

How to add Copilot to Microsoft Office 365

Copilot Pro integrates Copilot AI directly into Microsoft 365 apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, and Outlook....

How to Create a Self Portrait Using Midjourney

How to Create a Self Portrait Using Midjourney

AI art generators like Midjourney can reimagine your photos with different styles, backgrounds, colors, and moods. Follow this guide to create some imaginative self-portraits, seen through the lens of artificial intelligence.

2nm chip prices expected to increase sharply

2nm chip prices expected to increase sharply

TSMC reportedly began taking orders for 2nm wafers earlier this month, with prices estimated at up to $30,000/wafer.

OpenAI is set to acquire Windsurf - one of the worlds most powerful AI code editors

OpenAI is set to acquire Windsurf - one of the worlds most powerful AI code editors

OpenAI is in talks to acquire Windsurf, the industry's leading AI-powered code editor.

5 smartphone trends that should be eliminated

5 smartphone trends that should be eliminated

Whether it's impractical design choices or features that no one really asked for, some of these trends need to go away forever.

How to hide contact information on Instagram

How to hide contact information on Instagram

By default, personal contact information is displayed on your Instagram profile. This can affect your privacy. The following article will guide you on how to hide contact information on Instagram.

How to log out of Telegram account remotely

How to log out of Telegram account remotely

The Telegram application will save all devices that log in to the account in a list for us to monitor. And from this list we can check if there are any unauthorized logins.

Latest Legendary World Code 04/25/2025 and how to redeem code for rewards

Latest Legendary World Code 04/25/2025 and how to redeem code for rewards

Legendary World helps players receive a series of diamonds, treasure chests, and high-level character fragments via giftcode

What is the Google Store? Whats on the Google Store?

What is the Google Store? Whats on the Google Store?

The Google Store has had an interesting history.

How to remove adware on computer

How to remove adware on computer

Security and privacy issues should always be taken seriously. After all, they are closely related to your life, so you must be very vigilant about malware and other threats.

How to fix IPv4/IPv6 No Internet Access error on Windows

How to fix IPv4/IPv6 No Internet Access error on Windows

In this guide, Quantrimang.com will explore some troubleshooting steps to help you resolve the IPv4/IPv6 No Internet Access error and restore your Internet connection.

Nvidia expects RTX 5090/5080 power connectors to not melt thanks to new PCIe plug tech

Nvidia expects RTX 5090/5080 power connectors to not melt thanks to new PCIe plug tech

Surely many people still haven't forgotten the "explosion" scandal on the Nvidia RTX 40-series graphics card line.

Why users are disappointed with Samsungs Galaxy S25 product line

Why users are disappointed with Samsungs Galaxy S25 product line

Many were really looking forward to seeing what Samsung had in store for the Galaxy S25 series, but after seeing everything the company had to offer, they were left disappointed. There wasn't much to look forward to in this year's upgrade.

Scientists are observing an extremely rare phenomenon of a planet being swallowed by a star.

Scientists are observing an extremely rare phenomenon of a planet being swallowed by a star.

This event is extremely rare, but the team hopes to observe more in the future thanks to JWST and other advanced observatories coming online.

How to identify snake holes in your garden

How to identify snake holes in your garden

Snakes don't dig their own burrows, but that doesn't mean they can't take refuge in burrows created by something else. Here's how to identify and deal with a snake burrow in your yard.