Meta is reportedly planning to use AI to estimate Instagram users’ ages and automatically switch anyone suspected of being under 18 to a teen account if they are thought to be misrepresenting their age. It comes as the company faces increased scrutiny over the impact of social media platforms on the mental health of teenagers. According to Bloomberg, anyone caught lying about their age will be automatically switched on to more restrictive privacy settings. Meta AI’s ‘adult classifier’ for Instagram teen accounts Meta is said to be using a proprietary tool called an “adult classifier” to categorize users as either over or under 18, based on data from their accounts, says Allison Hartnett, Meta’s director of product management for youth and social impact. The software is reported to analyze profile details, follower lists, and content interactions, even scanning subtle indicators like “happy birthday” posts from friends, to estimate a user’s age. In a previous blog post on Meta’s site, the company explained that it needed a way to manage its growing user base.