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In response to growing scrutiny over its impact on teen mental health, Meta Platforms Inc. is introducing artificial intelligence to detect underage users on Instagram who lie about their age. By early next year, Meta’s AI-driven "adult classifier" will assess user data—such as follower lists and birthday messages—to determine if a user is likely under 18, regardless of their listed age. Key Points: AI-Powered Age Detection : The adult classifier will automatically place suspected underage users into restricted teen accounts with privacy settings that limit message access and content exposure. Enhanced Age Verification : Teens attempting to alter their age or create new accounts will need to provide proof, such as a driver’s license or video-selfie verification via third-party service Yoti. Privacy and Parental Controls : Users aged 16 and 17 can adjust restrictions, but younger teens require parental consent to disable protective settings. Industry Challenges : Meta's mo...

Meta Platforms has introduced enhanced privacy and parental controls for Instagram users under 18, in response to growing concerns over the negative effects of social media on young users. Under the new policy, all designated Instagram accounts for users under 18 will be automatically converted to "Teen Accounts," which will be set to private by default. Users with these accounts will only be able to receive messages and tags from accounts they already follow or are connected to, and the settings for sensitive content will be adjusted to the most restrictive level. For users under 16, changes to these default settings will require parental permission . Parents will also gain access to new tools that allow them to monitor their children’s interactions and limit their time on the app. This move comes in the wake of numerous studies linking social media use to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities among young people. It also follows a series of l...