Instagram is rolling out new AI technology to catch teens who lie about their age to dodge safety rules. This initiative, initially launched as a beta test in the United States, aims to automatically transition suspected underage accounts into restrictive “Teen Accounts” designed to protect minors from harmful content and interactions. This development underscores Meta’s ongoing commitment to addressing regulatory and societal concerns about teen safety on social media.
In September 2024, Instagram launched Teen Accounts for users under 18 in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. These accounts come with built in safety features, like Private by default: Only approved followers can see posts or Stories. Limited messaging: Teens can only get DMs from people they follow or know.
Safer content: Filters block sensitive stuff, like violent videos or ads for cosmetic surgery. Time controls: Teens get reminders after 60 minutes of use, and a “sleep mode” mutes notifications from 10 PM to 7 AM. Parental tools: Parents can check who their teen talks to, set time limits, and approve setting changes for kids under 16. Restricted features: Teens can’t go live, and nude images in DMs are blurred. Teen Accounts automatically apply to new users aged 13 17 and existing users who share their real birthdate. But some teens enter fake ages to act like adults, which is why Instagram is using AI to catch them.
The new AI looks for clues that a user might be a teen, even if they claim to be older. It checks things like. What they do: Teens often follow certain trends, like popular TikTok stars or school-related hashtags. What they like: The posts they comment on or share can show their age group. What others say: Birthday wishes like “Happy 14th!” in comments can tip off the AI.
Account details: Things like profile pics, followers, or when the account was made help paint a picture. If the AI thinks a user is underage, it switches their account to a Teen Account with all the safety settings. If it gets it wrong, users can prove their age with help from parents or App Store data. Instagram is also working with a U.K. tech company to double check ages using profile and follower info.
The AI testing kicked off in the U.S. and will expand to other countries soon. Over 54 million teens worldwide already use Teen Accounts, and 97% of 13 15 year olds keep the safety settings. Instagram is also sending parents in app messages to talk to their kids about sharing their real age, with tips to make those chats easier. This isn’t just for Instagram. Meta, which owns Instagram, added Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger in April 2025, showing they’re serious about keeping kids safe across their apps.
The AI isn’t foolproof. It might think an adult is a teen, which could be annoying for users who have to fix their account. There’s also a chance teens could outsmart the system by changing how they act online or using secret accounts. Some experts, like Professor Sonia Livingstone, say Instagram needs to do more to stop harmful content from showing up at all, not just rely on age checks.
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