Meta strengthens age checks with AI after EU flags concerns over safeguards

Meta has introduced AI-powered age detection tools and expanded Teen Account protections after EU regulators raised concerns over underage users access to Instagram and Facebook despite safeguards

Meta has announced a new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered age detection system for Instagram and Facebook after the European Commission raised concerns over children under 13 accessing the platforms despite age restrictions.

 

Alongside this, the company is expanding technology that automatically places accounts identified as belonging to teenagers into Teen Account protections, while also increasing parental control notifications as it faces scrutiny under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

EU’s concerns over Meta’s safeguards

According to the European Commission, Meta’s existing systems allow children to bypass age restrictions simply by entering false birth dates during sign-up. Regulators said there appears to be no strong verification process in place to confirm whether the provided age is accurate.

 

 

The EU also criticised the company’s reporting process for underage accounts.

 

It said reporting tools are difficult to use, requiring multiple steps and lacking pre-filled user information that could simplify the process. Regulators added that even after reports are submitted, many flagged accounts remain active with little follow-up action from the company.

 

Another major concern involves Meta’s internal risk assessments. The Commission said the company does not fully account for the scale of underage users on its platforms, despite estimates suggesting that around 10-12 per cent of children under 13 in the EU may already be using Instagram or Facebook.

 

Officials also said Meta’s systems do not sufficiently consider research showing younger users are more vulnerable to online harms and privacy risks.

 

The European Commission had asked Meta to strengthen systems that detect, prevent, and remove underage users. It also wants the company to improve privacy and safety protections for minors.

The findings are preliminary, meaning the investigation is still ongoing and no final decision has been made.

 

Meta’s AI-based age detection tools

In response to the commission’s concerns, Meta has introduced “visual analysis” system, which, it said, can identify underage users on Facebook and Instagram. The company said the system uses AI to scan photos and videos for general age-related clues to estimate a user’s approximate age.

 

Meta clarified that the feature is not facial recognition technology. Instead, the system analyses broader indicators such as facial structure, appearance, height, and other visual characteristics that may help determine whether a user appears younger than the age entered during sign-up.

 

The company added that combining visual analysis with behavioural and text-based signals could improve the detection of underage accounts. Meta said the AI can analyse profile activity and account details for signs that a user may actually be underage. This includes reviewing posts, captions, comments, bios, birthday-related content, and references to school grades.

 

The company said the technology is also being expanded across features such as Instagram Reels, Instagram Live, and Facebook Groups.

 

If Meta believes an account belongs to an underage user, it may temporarily deactivate the account until the person verifies their age. 

Parental control measures

Meta also said it will begin sending notifications to parents in the US through Facebook and Instagram, offering guidance on age verification and encouraging conversations about using the correct age online.

 

Additionally, users suspected of changing their age to bypass protections may be asked to verify their age through ID checks or Yoti’s facial age estimation tools. 

Meta calls for app store-level age verification

Meta said that while it is continuing to invest in its own age-checking technology, app stores and operating systems should also play a major role in age verification.

 

According to the company, apps and developers should receive age information from app stores so they can provide age-appropriate experiences.

 

Meta also said that most online youth safety laws depend on accurately identifying a user’s age. The company argued that handling parental approval and age verification at the app store or operating system level could provide a more centralised, consistent, and privacy-focused approach instead of requiring every app to follow different systems and rules.