Meta is deploying AI-driven technology to improve age verification for users on Facebook and Instagram, in light of regulatory requirements in Europe, Brazil, and the US. This plan is designed to more effectively identify and limit access for users younger than 13 and to offer age-suitable content for teenagers aged 13-17.
The firm asserts that the AI evaluation will gauge users’ ages based on facial characteristics without using facial recognition technology. Nevertheless, initial reports suggest that the system may lack complete reliability, highlighted by an incident where a 12-year-old managed to fool the tool with a fake mustache created using an eyebrow pencil.
Meta’s current AI mechanisms examine user profiles for contextual indicators, such as birthday festivities and references to school, to determine the likelihood of an account belonging to someone underage. This evaluation spans various content types, including posts, comments, and bios, and is being incorporated into other features like Instagram Reels and Facebook Groups.
The new visual analysis technology will examine images and videos for age-related visual indicators, such as height and bone structure, to more precisely estimate a user’s age. Notably, the company stresses that this method does not involve identifying individuals but rather centers on general age estimation.
Moreover, Meta is pushing for a transfer of legal responsibility for age verification from individual developers to app stores. The company contends that legislation should require app stores to verify user ages and relay this information to developers, enabling the creation of age-appropriate experiences, like Teen Accounts. Meta points out that 88% of US parents back this suggested method for age verification.