CALIFORNIA, November 10, 2026: Meta is expanding its artificial intelligence-powered age detection technology worldwide on Instagram to identify teenagers who may have entered incorrect birth dates to bypass age restrictions and access adult accounts.
The move aims to strengthen online safety protections for younger users by identifying accounts that may belong to people under 18, even when their registered date of birth suggests otherwise.
According to Meta, the technology uses artificial intelligence to estimate a user’s age based on available account information and activity signals rather than relying exclusively on the birth date provided during registration.
If the system determines that an account likely belongs to someone under 18, Instagram can automatically place it under its Teen Account protections.
The technology was initially introduced in April 2025 and is now being expanded internationally as Meta increases efforts to address concerns about children’s safety on social media.
How Instagram’s AI age detection works
The system examines available information to identify potential inconsistencies between a user’s declared age and their estimated age.
For example, a teenager who registers as an adult to avoid restrictions may be identified by the technology and moved into a more protected account experience.
However, AI-based age estimation is not guaranteed to be accurate in every case, and the technology does not make it impossible for users to misrepresent their ages.
What changes for teenage Instagram users?
Meta introduced Instagram Teen Accounts in September 2024 for users aged 13 to 17, incorporating additional safety settings designed to reduce exposure to potentially harmful content and unwanted interactions.
These protections include restrictions on sensitive content, tighter messaging controls and features intended to help teenagers manage their time on the platform.
The latest expansion is designed to extend those safeguards to younger users who may have registered with inaccurate birth dates.
Meta also plans to introduce educational material for parents in the United States, including videos explaining how Instagram identifies teenage users and applies age-appropriate protections.
The initiative comes as social media companies face growing scrutiny over the effectiveness of their child safety measures, age verification systems and the potential impact of digital platforms on younger audiences.
Meta says the expansion forms part of its broader efforts to provide safer online experiences for children and teenagers while using artificial intelligence to improve age-appropriate account protections.
Reuters also reported that Meta plans to extend similar technology to Threads and is already expanding it on Facebook. In Australia, the company has begun using Apple’s age-range signals as an additional way to assess users’ ages.