Meta expands AI age checks for Instagram teens as lawsuits mount
META•Meta said it would expand AI age-estimation technology globally to move millions more teens on Instagram into Teen Account protections, including users whose birth dates show they are adults. The company also cited an August settlement worth up to $18 billion with nearly every US state and territory over allegations its platforms harm teens.
1. Global age checks
Meta said it would expand its AI age-estimation technology globally to move millions more teens on Instagram into Teen Account protections, even if they entered birth dates showing they are adults. Teen Accounts, available on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger, automatically limit who can contact teens, the content they see and their time on the apps.
2. Other age measures
Parents in the US will begin receiving Instagram notifications this month explaining how teens are placed in age-appropriate protections, Meta said. In Australia, Meta has begun using Apple's age-range signal as an additional way to help determine users' ages. The company is continuing to roll out the technology on Facebook and plans to begin launching similar technology globally on Threads later this year.
3. Lawsuits and settlements
Meta faces multiple lawsuits alleging its platforms harm teens. In August, it struck settlements worth up to $18 billion with nearly every US state and territory to resolve lawsuits brought by attorneys general, agreeing to improve how it identifies teens and children under 13. Meta also settled with a teen plaintiff last month in a Los Angeles trial testing claims that Instagram and Facebook were designed to be addictive and caused mental health problems and an eating disorder.
