Meta Deploys AI to Scan Photos and Detect Underage Users on Facebook and Instagram

Meta has introduced an expanded AI system that scans photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram to estimate users' ages by analyzing physical features such as bone structure and height. The system also examines profile content for signals like birthday posts or school-related information. Meta emphasizes that this technology is "not facial recognition," setting it apart from biometric identification methods.

Users identified by the AI as being under 13 will have their accounts deactivated. To prevent permanent deletion, they must verify their age within a specified period using a government-issued ID or Yoti's facial age estimation tools. The same verification process applies to accounts that try to bypass age restrictions by changing their stated age from under 18 to over 18.

How Meta’s AI Age Detection System Works on Facebook and Instagram

The visual analysis feature is currently active on Instagram in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Meta is expanding it to Brazil and 27 EU countries. For the first time, Facebook in the US is receiving these protections this month, with the UK and EU following in June.

Meta aims to extend Instagram coverage worldwide by the end of 2026. Some parts of the AI age detection system, including profile-based contextual analysis, have already been rolled out globally. However, the visual scanning component remains limited to the countries listed above.

Where Meta Is Expanding AI Age Checks and Why the Rollout Matters

Meta started using AI in 2024 to identify teenage users. The company reports that the system has enrolled hundreds of millions of teens into protected Teen Accounts, including those who tried to bypass safeguards by falsely claiming to be adults. Meta has not released independent verification of this number.

The announcement comes after a New Mexico jury found Meta liable for failing to protect children from predators on its platforms, leading to a $375 million damages order under the state's Unfair Practices Act. Meta has not confirmed if the expanded age detection rollout is related to that ruling.

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