Meta steps up its safety measures by using artificial intelligence to detect underage users on Instagram and automatically place them in protected Teen Accounts.

In a move to bolster online safety for young users, Meta announced on Monday that it is now using artificial intelligence to identify teens who lie about their age to bypass safeguards on Instagram. Suspected underage users will automatically be placed into a restricted Teen Account, even if their profile lists a birthdate suggesting they are adults.

Instagram’s Teen Accounts, launched last year, offer a more secure environment for younger users. These accounts come with default protections—limiting who can contact the teen and what content they can access. For users under 16, parental consent is required to adjust these settings.

Although Meta has been utilizing AI for age verification for some time, this marks a significant shift toward actively using the technology to ensure teens are placed in the correct account category. The company is employing a variety of methods to identify potential underage users, including analyzing “happy birthday” posts and user reports.

“We’re committed to making sure as many teens as possible benefit from the safeguards built into Teen Accounts,” Meta wrote in a blog post. “The digital world continues to evolve and we have to evolve with it.”

To address the possibility of misidentification, Instagram is allowing users to request changes if they believe they’ve been wrongly categorized. Meta also emphasized its ongoing efforts to improve the accuracy of its AI systems.

In addition to the technical updates, Instagram plans to notify parents with guidance on how to discuss the importance of providing accurate age information online. The platform is encouraging families to verify that the listed birthdate on their teen’s account is correct.

This initiative follows Meta’s recent expansion of Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger, and comes amid growing pressure on social media platforms to protect younger audiences. So far, Meta says it has enrolled over 54 million teens globally into Teen Accounts, with 97% of users aged 13 to 15 remaining in these protected environments.

The move is part of a broader effort by Meta to create a safer digital space for younger users, while also working in tandem with parents to uphold these protections.