Meta is expanding its AI-powered age detection system globally to move more teenagers into protected Instagram accounts, amid mounting regulatory scrutiny over child safety and social media use. Meta has announced plans to roll out its age estimation technology globally. The move would shift millions of teenagers’ accounts around the world to Teen Account settings on Instagram, according to an official blog post.In April 2025, Meta began using AI technology to identify teenagers on Instagram, even if they had entered an adult age when opening an account. Once identified, these users would be proactively placed in Meta’s safest settings, which restrict inappropriate content from appearing in their feeds.The platform will also roll out videos for parents explaining how teenagers are placed into age-appropriate protection settings, the blog post added. “We’ll continue to do our part to proactively ensure teens are in age-appropriate experiences on our apps,” Meta said.
Past scrutinyMeta has faced growing scrutiny over its ability to protect young users in recent months. In March, the company lost a case brought by the state of New Mexico, which alleged that Meta’s platform design exposed children to predators and even helped them exploit children on its platforms. A jury found Meta liable for misleading consumers about the dangers to children and the safety of its platforms. The company was subsequently ordered to pay nearly $950 million in related penalties.More from TechIn August, Meta reached a $12 billion settlement with dozens of state attorneys general in a case concerning allegations that the social media company had designed addictive platforms.As part of the settlement, Meta agreed to introduce new platform design changes and features, as well as recommit to industry-standard child safety measures. These measures include daily time limits, screen-time options such as Quiet Mode, and stronger age-assurance measures for strangers.The company has also called on competitors such as TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube to agree to the settlement terms, under which Meta has planned to pay an additional $5 billion. Meta has sought to raise the bar for other applications and encouraged them to adopt similar practices.
The platform changes, along with the new age verification method, come as governments around the world have stepped up scrutiny of the content underage users consume on social media. Efforts to restrict teenagers’ access to social media include Australia’s complete social media ban for under-16s, as well as laws passed by some US states to introduce age-gated platforms and require social media companies to implement age-assurance measures.Meta has also recently sued California’s attorney general in an attempt to block a new law designed to reduce social media addiction among young users.The new features are expected to begin rolling out in January.
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