Meta is expanding globally its AI technology that identifies Instagram users suspected of being teens even when they register with adult birthdays, the company announced. The system automatically places detected teens into Teen Account protections that limit who can contact them, what content they see, and their time on the platform.
Meta says millions more teens worldwide will receive these built-in protections as a result of the expansion. The company has been using the AI detection technology in limited markets and says it has successfully placed more teens in age-appropriate protections based on those results.
The technology is currently rolling out on Facebook and will expand to Threads later this year, according to Meta. The global deployment follows an agreement with 52 bipartisan U.S. attorneys general to strengthen how Meta identifies teens and children under 13 on its platforms.
Meta is also testing additional age verification methods in select markets. In Australia, the company has begun using Apple’s age-range signal as another method to determine user age when parents set up smartphones for teens.
Parents in the United States will see an in-feed video on Instagram this month explaining Meta’s approach to teen identification and age-appropriate protections.