Meta deploys AI bone structure analysis on Facebook and Instagram to flag users under 13
Accounts flagged as underage will be deactivated until owners verify their age, with wider rollouts planned for the UK and EU in June
Meta has introduced a new artificial intelligence system on Facebook and Instagram designed to identify users under the age of 13 by scanning photos and videos for specific visual cues. The technology focuses on general themes and physical characteristics, such as height and bone structure, to determine if a user appears to be a child.
In a recent announcement, the company explicitly stated that this mechanism is not facial recognition and does not identify specific individuals within an image. The system is intended to complement existing analysis of posts, comments, bios, and captions to search for contextual clues that might indicate a user is underage.
When the AI system flags an account as belonging to a user under 13, the account is automatically deactivated. The owner must then verify their age to prevent the account from being permanently deleted. This measure is part of Meta's broader efforts to keep children under the legal age limit off its platforms.
The deployment of this technology follows a significant legal setback for the corporation. A New Mexico jury recently ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding the company had misled customers regarding platform safety and failed to protect children from predators. The ruling has intensified scrutiny on how the firm manages child safety and data verification.
Currently, the AI bone structure analysis is available in select countries, including the United States. Meta plans to expand the rollout to the United Kingdom and the European Union in June. This move mirrors similar technology previously deployed on Instagram in 2024 and aligns with face-scanning tools offered by age verification services like Yoti and k-ID.
Simultaneously, Meta is expanding its Teen Accounts feature to automatically identify and place users between 13 and 18 into stricter content controls. These accounts will block messages from strangers and prevent users under 16 from going live, a feature that was first rolled out on Instagram in 2024 before being extended to Facebook users in the US.
Despite these measures, the company continues to advocate for age verification at the app store and operating system level. This approach is gaining traction in the US Congress and among states such as California and Colorado, where regulators are pushing for more robust protections for minors online.
