Meta Deploys AI Bone Structure Analysis to Detect Underage Users on Instagram and Facebook

Key facts

• Meta uses AI to analyze photos and videos for height and bone structure to estimate age, not facial recognition.
• The system also scans posts, comments, bios, and captions for contextual clues like birthday celebrations or school grades.
• Underage accounts are deactivated; holders must verify age via Meta's age verification process to prevent deletion.
• Visual analysis is initially available in select countries, including the US, with a broader rollout planned.
• Meta is expanding Teen Account technology to 27 EU countries and Brazil on Instagram, and to Facebook in the US.
• A New Mexico jury found Meta violated state law by misleading customers about safety and failing to protect children, resulting in a $375 million penalty.
• Meta will send notifications to US parents on Facebook and Instagram this month to help check and confirm teens' ages.

AI Scans for Bone Structure and Contextual Clues

Meta announced Tuesday that its artificial intelligence systems will now analyze photos and videos posted to Instagram and Facebook for visual cues such as height and bone structure to estimate a user's age. The company emphasized that the technology is not facial recognition and does not identify specific individuals. The AI also examines text across posts, comments, bios, and captions for contextual hints like mentions of birthday parties or school grades.

How the Detection and Enforcement Process Works

When the AI determines an account likely belongs to someone under 13, the account is deactivated. The holder must then provide proof of age through Meta's age verification process to prevent permanent deletion. Meta is supplementing human review teams with AI models that apply consistent evaluation criteria to reports of underage accounts, claiming higher accuracy and faster resolutions. The company is also strengthening circumvention measures to prevent new accounts from suspected underage users.

Expansion of Teen Account Protections Across Regions

Since 2024, Meta has enrolled hundreds of millions of teens into Teen Accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, which include default protections limiting who can contact them and the content they see. The technology that proactively identifies accounts likely belonging to teens aged 13 to 17, even if they list an adult birthday, is now expanding to 27 countries in the EU and Brazil on Instagram. Facebook will deploy the same technology in the US first, followed by the UK and EU in June.

Legal Pressure and Parental Involvement

The announcement comes days after a New Mexico jury found Meta violated state law by misleading customers about platform safety and failing to protect children from predators, resulting in a $375 million judgment. Meta has threatened to leave the state over potential mandated changes. Separately, Meta will begin sending notifications to US parents on Facebook and Instagram this month with information on how to check and confirm their teens' ages, along with tips for discussing the importance of providing correct age online.

Industry-Wide Challenge and Legislative Push

Meta continues to advocate for age verification at the app store and operating system level, an approach gaining traction in Congress and states like California and Colorado. The company acknowledges that knowing a user's age online is a complex, industry-wide challenge. By combining visual analysis with text and interaction signals, Meta aims to significantly increase the number of underage accounts identified and removed.

Future Rollout and Global Implications

While many AI improvements are available worldwide, advanced features like visual analysis are currently limited to select countries as Meta works toward a broader rollout. The company aims to expand the Teen Account detection technology globally throughout the year. Meta's efforts reflect a broader push to comply with increasing regulatory scrutiny and public demand for child safety online.

The bottom line

• Meta's new AI scans photos and videos for bone structure and height to estimate age, explicitly not using facial recognition.
• The system also analyzes text for contextual clues and deactivates suspected underage accounts until age is verified.
• Teen Account protections are expanding to 27 EU countries, Brazil, and Facebook in the US, with automatic enrollment for suspected teens.
• A New Mexico jury recently ordered Meta to pay $375 million for misleading customers about child safety on its platforms.
• Meta is pushing for age verification at the app store and OS level, a policy gaining legislative support in the US.