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by Florian Bodoky
Insta and co: Meta AI analyses images for age verification
6/5/2026
Translation: machine translated
Meta is expanding its AI systems in Europe to recognise underage users. Physical features on images and videos on Instagram, Threads and Facebook are to be analysed for this purpose.
Meta is taking stronger action against false age claims on its platforms in Europe. The company is expanding its existing AI systems on Instagram, Facebook and Threads. The artificial intelligence is designed to recognise whether children or young people have specified a higher age when registering in order to circumvent protection mechanisms. Because even without a legal ban on social media, there is a minimum age on Insta and Co. of 13 years.
Image analysis in the EU - with immediate effect
According to Meta, the system will be launched immediately in all 27 EU countries and Brazil. Initially on Instagram and Threads, with Facebook to follow in June. Children under the age of 13 will be more consistently excluded from the platforms, while young people under 18 will automatically be moved to protected teen accounts.
Until now, the meta AI has paid particular attention to texts and profile details. For example, anyone who was described in comments as a «seventh-grader» or posted content about school, exams or typical teenage topics could attract attention. The AI now also analyses images and videos as well as the entire context of an account. For example, the system recognises typical motifs from the everyday lives of younger users or certain behavioural patterns and interactions with third parties on the platforms.
Image and video analysis to provide information on age
In addition, the AI analyses photos and videos for physical characteristics that should allow conclusions to be drawn about the user's approximate age. According to Meta, no facial recognition is used. Meta describes the new technology as a combination of image analysis, behavioural evaluation and machine learning. The company not only wants to identify children under the age of 13, but also young people between the ages of 13 and 17 who have made themselves older in order to have fewer restrictions.
Source: Meta
If the system detects anomalies, Meta automatically moves the affected profiles to so-called teen accounts. Stricter security rules apply there: Strangers can only send teenagers limited messages, sensitive content appears less frequently and some functions are only available to a limited extent.
Meta has also announced that parents will be more involved. In future, they will receive notifications so that they can check and confirm the age of their children. At the same time, the company wants to prevent blocked minors from simply creating new accounts. Meta is also relying on AI-supported recognition systems for this purpose.
Experiences in other countries mixed
Meta is not launching these options entirely voluntarily. The company actually wants age verification to take place when setting up a smartphone or directly via app stores. This would mean that platforms such as Instagram or Facebook would not have to carry out the verification themselves. Nevertheless, Meta introduced these systems - partly due to pressure from various governments. This was initially the case in the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK. There, the AI also analyses content and user behaviour in order to identify suspected underage accounts. However, the reliability of such checks is controversial. In the UK, many minors circumvent existing age restrictions with VPN services or manipulated data. The AI will now not only check the age when registering, but also continuously analyse whether the specified age seems plausible.
It is not yet known whether Meta intends to introduce the new technology in Switzerland. The Swiss E-ID is due to be introduced at the end of the year. This could also be used for digital proof of age in the future. Similar systems also exist in the EU, although the «digital ID card» function is only available from the age of 16 in some countries.
Header image: Shutterstock
I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.
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