# Meta wants to know how old you are — and its AI could study your photos, likes and online habits > Source: > Published: 2026-09-01 08:50:15+00:00 # Meta wants to know how old you are — and its AI could study your photos, likes and online habits ## Determining which accounts belong to children is the linchpin of online child safety measures that Meta, Google, TikTok, Roblox and other companies are ramping up as public and regulatory sentiment increasingly turns against them - Bookmark Among the child safety provisions in [Meta's](/topic/meta) major legal settlement, age assurance commitments stand out for their level of detail. This emphasis is understandable: no matter how robust safety protections are, they remain ineffective if Meta cannot accurately identify younger users. Identifying underage account holders is the cornerstone of broader safety initiatives expanding across the tech sector, including at Google, TikTok, and [Roblox](/news/uk/home-news/roblox-social-media-ban-uk-parents-concerned-b3001202.html), as scrutiny from regulators and the public intensifies across the US and globally. Under the agreement, which [Meta](/tech/meta-instagram-facebook-court-case-settlement-b3039672.html) suggests might establish future benchmark practices for the sector, the firm has 12 months to hone its strategy. However, available mechanisms are limited, and upgrading age verification presents significant hurdles—particularly around the privacy of adults who may be required to confirm they are over 18. The $18 billion resolution addresses litigation brought by state attorneys general alleging that the tech firm harmed youth mental health by engineering Instagram and Facebook to capture and retain adolescent attention. Announced last week, the pact with the Menlo Park, California-based firm encompasses 48 US states, the District of Columbia, and US territories. ## Tech companies lean on AI to estimate user age Outside the digital realm, people routinely show official government identification to prove they meet legal age thresholds, such as when entering venues or purchasing tobacco. Though usable online, many users balk at handing sensitive credentials like driver's licenses or passports over to major tech corporations such as Meta or Google. Meta accepts official IDs for age confirmation and commits to erasing submitted records within 30 days. Nevertheless, a growing number of technology platforms are turning to artificial intelligence to gauge user demographics. Crucially, this approach constitutes age estimation rather than formal verification, as AI can approximate age—frequently with precision—but cannot confirm an exact date of birth. Last year, Google launched an automated age-assurance mechanism on YouTube that employs AI algorithms to distinguish adults from younger viewers by evaluating viewing habits. Meta deploys similar analytical techniques. AI-driven age assessments depend on contextual signals to evaluate user age. On platforms like Instagram, these indicators range from posts referencing school or birthday milestones to interaction patterns—such as liked content, comments, viewing duration, social connections, and daily activity windows. For example, users consistently inactive during standard classroom hours are inferred to be school-age children. In a public update last year, Meta disclosed that its AI systems also evaluate uploaded imagery for physical indicators, including "height or bone structure, to estimate someone’s general age; it does not identify the specific person in the image." "By combining these visual insights with our analysis of text and interactions, we can significantly increase the number of underage accounts we identify and remove," the company stated. As part of the legal agreement, Meta has committed to enhancing its age-assessment tools through both proprietary technology and third-party solutions, subject to routine independent audits. The accord outlines target metrics for false positives—minors wrongly classified as adults over 18. Furthermore, should an account be flagged as belonging to a child under 13 and subsequently removed, Meta will evaluate the demographic profiles of that user's online network. ## Facial scans serve as age estimation on certain platforms Specialized identity services such as Yoti and Persona, partnering with firms including Meta and Roblox, evaluate user-submitted video selfies to infer demographic age brackets. Online gaming network Roblox, which permits registration for children under 13 unlike traditional social media networks, mandates a video selfie to estimate player age. Roblox says it discards these recordings immediately after processing. Submitting facial data is optional for general platform access and becomes necessary only when users want to use interactive chat features. Reports of system errors have surfaced, and tech specialists have raised concerns regarding the consistency of facial estimation software, particularly across female demographics and specific racial or ethnic groups. Nevertheless, Matt Kaufman, Roblox's chief safety officer, said last year that for individuals aged 5 to 25, the technology provides age estimates accurate to within one or two years. Several digital platforms, including Meta, contend that app store operators like Apple and Google should handle age verification rather than individual services. Under this model, app marketplaces would confirm users' ages before authorizing software downloads. Unsurprisingly, Apple and Google disagree. "Billed as ‘simple’ by its backers, including Meta, this proposal fails to cover desktop computers or other devices that are commonly shared within families. It also could be ineffective against pre-installed apps," Google stated in a blog post last year. ## Data privacy concerns continue to present major hurdles While age checks aim to protect minors from unsuitable online environments—spanning social networks and adult material—critics caution that widespread implementation pushes the web toward reduced privacy, security, and open access. Opponents warn that citizens risk being locked out not only from adult content, but also from news reporting, health resources, and the capacity for anonymous free expression. Determining what constitutes material harmful to minors remains inherently subjective, prompting legal analysts to warn that mandatory age-checking legislation could infringe upon First Amendment protections. The broader implication could be mandatory age checks across all digital media, from major streaming services like Netflix to hyper-local community blogs. Advocacy organization Electronic Frontier Foundation has spent years highlighting the risks of "age-gating the internet." "(No) matter the method, every system demands users hand over sensitive and immutable personal information that links their offline identity to their online activity," the EFF cautioned in a statement. "Once that valuable data is collected, it can easily be leaked, hacked, or misused."