Instagram is using AI to catch underage users

Meta now uses AI to detect teens who lie about their age on Instagram to bypass safety settings. 

If Meta suspects an account belongs to a teen, it will automatically place it into a restricted Teen Account, even if it lists an adult birthdate. 

Teen Accounts limit who can contact users and what content they see. Teens under 16 need parental approval to change settings.

Instagram will also limit sensitive content, such as fight videos or cosmetic procedure promotions. Teens will get screen time reminders after 60 minutes and see a sleep mode from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. 

Meta uses birthday posts, and user reports to help spot false ages. 

According to Meta, so far, 54 million teens are enrolled in Teen Accounts globally, and 97% of users between the ages of 13 and 15 have remained in these accounts.