Meta will use AI to analyze height and bone structure to identify if users are underage

Meta announced on Tuesday that it will start using artificial intelligence to scan photos and videos for visual clues including height or bone structure to see if a user is under 13 and remove them from Facebook and Instagram. The company said this is not facial recognition but uses general visual cues to estimate age without identifying the person. Combining these with text and interaction analysis allows Meta to identify and remove more underage accounts. The visual analysis system operates in select countries with broader rollout planned. It forms part of efforts to keep children under 13 off the platforms by analyzing profiles for clues such as birthdays or school grades across various formats. Meta plans to expand the technology to Instagram Live and Facebook Groups. If Meta determines a person may be underage it will deactivate the account. The user must prove age via the company's verification process to avoid deletion. The announcement follows a New Mexico jury order weeks earlier for Meta to pay 375 million dollars in penalties for misleading consumers about safety and risking children. The company must implement platform changes and has threatened to shut down services in the state. Meta announced on Tuesday that it is expanding automatic Teen Accounts on Instagram with stricter safeguards to 27 countries in the European Union and Brazil. These include limiting direct messages to followed users, hiding harmful comments and default private settings. The technology is expanding to Facebook in the United States followed by the United Kingdom and European Union in June.