Meta to Scan Photos for Height and Bone Structure to Spot Underage Users
The company says that tool is not facial recognition one but considers general themes and visual cues.
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As concerns over children bypassing age restrictions online intensify, Meta said it will deploy advanced AI tools to detect and block users under 13 who attempt to join Facebook and Instagram using fake birth dates. The company said the system will scan photos and videos to identify underage users and strengthen enforcement across its platforms.
In a recent blog post, the company said the technology allows AI to scan users’ media for visual clues about their age. It clarified that this tool is not facial recognition but rather considers general themes and cues, such as height and bone structure. Meta said this would help social media platforms determine users’ age, not identify the specific person in the image.
In addition to this AI tool, Meta is making it easier for communities to report underage accounts by simplifying reporting flows. To handle reports effectively, it supplements human review teams with AI models that apply consistent evaluation criteria to every report.
The social media giant is also working on strengthening measures to prevent suspected underage users from creating new accounts.
Meta said these measures are part of its efforts to keep kids under 13 off its platforms. Recent efforts include using AI to analyze entire profiles for contextual clues, such as birthday celebrations or school-grade mentions.
It added that it has built tools, features, and resources to help teens have safe, age-appropriate experiences on its apps. This includes launching Teen Accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger with built-in protections that limit who can contact teens and the content they see. Meta also revamped content policies to automatically place teens under 18 into a 13+ content setting.
It added that to place teens in these default content settings, platforms need to know their age. It noted that knowing someone’s age online is a complex, industry-wide challenge.
That’s why Meta continues to invest heavily in age assurance, including using sophisticated technology to find people it believes are teens, even if they list an adult birthday, the company underscored.
The announcement comes weeks after a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in civil penalties for misleading consumers about the safety of its platforms and for putting children at risk. The company was also ordered to implement fundamental changes to its platforms. Meta has since threatened to shut down its social media services in the state.
