Meta Expands AI Age-Estimation Technology Globally Across Instagram to Enforce Teen Accounts

Meta Platforms is expanding its artificial intelligence-driven age estimation technology globally across Instagram to automatically shift teenage users into restricted Teen Accounts, even if they registered as adults. The safeguards limit messaging, restrict content exposure, and enforce usage limits across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. The rollout follows an August settlement worth up to $18 billion with 52 U.S. state and territorial attorneys general over youth platform harm, which mandates stricter age-identification protocols for minors and children under 13. Meta also plans to deploy similar tools on Threads later this year.