- Meta will use AI to identify users under the age of 13.
- AI will estimate age from photos, videos and user activity.
- If the AI is found to be underage, the account may be temporarily closed.
- This step was taken amid growing questions regarding the safety of children.
Meta AI: Meta Platforms have started taking the help of Artificial Intelligence to make age verification more stringent. This company that runs Instagram and Facebook has introduced a new AI system whose purpose is to identify users below 13 years of age. According to the company, this technology finds signals based on photos, videos and user activity, but privacy has been kept in mind.
How does AI system work?
This AI system of Meta does not directly identify a person, but tries to understand patterns and signals. It analyzes simple visual cues in photos and videos, such as height or body structure, as well as reads posts, captions, bios and comments to estimate the user’s age.
The company has clarified that this is not facial recognition, that is, it does not identify any particular person but only estimates the possible age.
What if AI considers you underage?
If the system feels that an account belongs to a person under 13 years of age, then direct action can be taken and the account can be temporarily deactivated. The user will have to prove his/her age to regain access. Currently, this feature is being tested in some selected countries which includes America and gradually it can be implemented in other places also.
Same method as other tools
This new system of Meta is somewhat similar to third-party tools that already estimate age like Yoti, k-ID. These tools also estimate age based on visual cues without revealing someone’s true identity. Meta has also strengthened the Teen Accounts feature. Users aged 13 to 17 are automatically placed in this mode.
Messages from unknown people are limited. Content filters are tightened. Features like livestreaming are restricted for users under 16 years of age. Earlier this feature came on Instagram and now it is being implemented on Facebook also.
Why was this step taken now?
This big change has come at a time when questions are being raised regarding the safety of children on Meta. Recently, an American court, while giving its verdict against the company, said that the users were not given correct information regarding the security of the platform. Due to this, a heavy fine was also imposed on the company. In such a situation, this AI system of Meta is not only a new feature but is also being considered as an important step taken amidst increasing pressure.
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