Meta Deploys AI to Identify and Remove Underage Users
Meta is introducing new artificial intelligence systems to detect and remove users under 13 from Facebook and Instagram. The initiative responds to stricter regulatory scrutiny, particularly from the European Union, and includes expanded protections for teen users.
Meta has begun deploying artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to better identify and remove users under the age of 13 on its social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. This move comes amid intensifying global scrutiny regarding the safety of children online and follows regulatory pressures, particularly within the European Union.
The newly implemented AI systems analyze contextual clues in user profiles, posts, and captions, such as references to school grade levels or birthday celebrations, to estimate a user's age. In addition to text-based indicators, Meta is leveraging visual analysis to examine photos and videos for age-related cues. The company underscored in an official blog post that this technology does not use facial recognition, but rather assesses general physical characteristics—such as height or bone structure—and broader themes to estimate age without identifying specific individuals in images.
"We want to be clear: this is not facial recognition. Our AI looks at general themes and visual cues, for example height or bone structure, to estimate someone's general age; it does not identify the specific person in the image," Meta stated.
If Meta's system suspects a user is under 13, that account will be deactivated. To regain access, the user must provide proof of age confirming they are 13 or older; otherwise, the account will be permanently deleted. These measures are initially launching in select countries, with plans for a broader rollout in the future.
Meta is also enhancing detection for users aged 13 to 15. Accounts in this bracket will now be designated as teen accounts, incorporating parental controls and other safety features. The rollout will commence with Instagram in Brazil and the 27 European Union member states, and will soon expand to Facebook, starting in the United States before reaching the EU and United Kingdom in the coming month.
In parallel, WhatsApp—another Meta-owned service—has introduced parent-managed accounts to support safer use for children under 13.
The initiative follows recent preliminary findings from the European Commission, which indicated that Meta may be in violation of the Digital Services Act by not sufficiently preventing children under 13 from accessing its platforms. Meta has been given the opportunity to respond to these findings and demonstrate corrective measures.
This increased regulatory attention highlights the importance of robust AI systems for age assurance and the need for technology firms to adapt rapidly to evolving legal requirements, especially in Europe.
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