Meta has recently begun testing artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the US to determine whether a person is a teenager, even if they deliberately declare their age. Meta will then move these users to teenage accounts.
Meta said it has taken measures to ensure the accuracy of age identification technology. However, if AI receives the mistake, users can still adjust the settings themselves and keep the adult account.
Although it has used AI to detect age beforehand, the company believes that applying this new approach is a major change.
The teenage account was deployed by Meta on Instagram since last fall and has recently expanded to Facebook and Messenger.
These accounts have more secure privacy settings and additional parental control, such as setting up private mode and preventing strangers from texting teenagers.
To date, more than 54 million teenage users have been put into this type of account, with 97% of users aged 13 to 15 choosing to stay in the same setup. Children under 16 years old need parents' consent if they want to escape from their teenage account.
According to Meta's survey, more than 90% of parents agree that this account helps their children be safer on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Instagram will send notices to parents, introducing documents to help them talk to their children about the importance of declaring the correct age to be able to use a suitable account.
In the context of social media platforms being criticized for exposing vulnerable content to adolescents, Meta is trying to demonstrate a proactive role in building a safe and age-appropriate online environment. However, the real effectiveness of these measures still needs time to be verified.
