Meta’s AI age-check goes global: Can it protect teens?
Summary
Meta has expanded AI age estimation worldwide on Instagram and is adding it to Facebook, with a similar rollout planned for Threads by the end of 2026. The system looks for account clues that suggest a user is a teenager and can move flagged accounts into more restricted Teen Accounts or remove them where age-based bans apply; experts question whether the measures will prevent online harm.Key Facts
- Meta says the rollout will place millions more young people in Teen Accounts.
- The system checks account details for clues such as school grades and birthday mentions, and uses images and videos for visual cues; Meta says it does not use facial recognition.
- Teen Accounts are private by default, restrict some content and messaging, and can be supervised by parents.
- Meta says the system has already been deployed in more than 20 countries before the global expansion.
- In the United States, Meta plans a two-hour daily limit and a midnight-to-6 a.m. curfew for users under 18.
- In Australia, Meta says it has begun using an Apple feature that shares a user’s age range with apps.
- Meta linked the rollout to an August settlement of a lawsuit brought by 29 states and supported by 52 attorneys general, which accused the company of harming young users and failing to verify their ages.
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