Instagram is testing using facial analysis tools to verify age on the platform, Meta announced in a blog post Thursday.
People will be able to verify their age on Instagram by submitting a picture of their ID card, taking a video selfie or by asking mutual followers how old they are. For the video selfies, Meta has partnered with Yoti, which analyzes facial features to verify a person's age without disclosing their identity. After the selfie is shared between the two companies, it's deleted, Meta said.
"Understanding someone’s age online is a complex, industry-wide challenge," Erica Finkle, director of Data Governance at Meta, said in the post. "Many people, such as teens, don’t always have access to the forms of ID that make age verification clear and simple."
The company is also expanding its AI tools to ensure that the experience is tailored appropriately. That includes preventing underage users from accessing age-restricted features like Facebook Dating or Mentorship.
Meta has been facing major public pressure to make its platforms safer and less toxic. Privacy bills, like the one being proposed in California, and the Children's Code in the U.K. might be adding to the pressure, too.
Correction: This story was updated June 23 to clarify that the tools use facial analysis.
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