Fake IDs aren’t just for sneaking into bars or buying alcohol anymore—they’re being used to bypass age restrictions on social media. Platforms like Instagram are well aware of this trend, and to combat the growing issue, they’re turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and partnering with tech providers that specialize in identity verification (IDV) solutions.
Instagram’s anticipated changes to teen accounts provide a perfect case study of how social media platforms are leveraging technology to protect their youngest users. Starting next year, Instagram will implement AI-driven systems to verify the ages of its users and place those who appear to be under 18 into restricted accounts.
But this isn’t just a one-size-fits-all solution. From biometric scans to parental controls, platforms are evolving rapidly to ensure safety without compromising user experience.
So how are these changes shaping the future of online safety, and what challenges remain? Let’s explore how AI, tech providers, and social platforms are working together to tackle the issue of underage users—and why it matters more than ever.
The problem of underage users on social media
Despite platform rules prohibiting children under 13 from joining, it’s an open secret that many teens (and even younger children) manage to create accounts by falsifying their birth dates. Whether it’s through creating entirely fake profiles or editing their account information, tech-savvy teens have been slipping through the cracks for years.
For social media companies like Instagram, the consequences are significant. Teens exposed to adult content, cyberbullying, and addictive social media habits are more vulnerable to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Additionally, these platforms face mounting pressure from lawmakers, regulators, and concerned parents to provide a safer environment for their youngest users.
How Instagram and AI are changing the game
Instagram’s upcoming AI-based age verification system is a key part of its effort to clamp down on fake accounts. Starting next year, Instagram will use its so-called adult classifier AI model to determine whether an account holder is a teenager based on their behavior and interactions on the platform. The AI looks at signals like content engagement, posting frequency, and even biometric data such as video selfies to ensure the accuracy of age estimates.
However, AI-based age estimation technology falls well short of true age verification. This approach uses machine learning algorithms to analyze facial features and predict an individual’s age range. Unlike age verification, which typically involves checking official documents, AI estimation can be influenced by factors like lighting, image quality, and genetic variations.
Its accuracy can vary wildly—and accordingly cannot be considered a substitute for formal age verification processes, especially in situations requiring strict compliance or legal certainty.
Therefore, Instagram isn’t stopping at AI alone. The platform is also partnering with tech providers that specialize in identity verification systems. These companies offer advanced tools like facial recognition, document scanning, and real-time checks to confirm users’ ages more reliably than traditional methods.
In combining AI and IDV solutions, Instagram aims to create a multi-layered defense against fake accounts, ensuring that teens are placed in age-appropriate environments with the most restrictive privacy settings.
The role of tech providers in age verification
Tech providers specializing in identity verification have become essential allies in social media platforms’ quest for online safety. Companies offering IDV solutions play a critical role by providing sophisticated tools that can scan government-issued IDs, verify selfies, or even use facial recognition to confirm that a user is who they claim to be.
These providers work closely with platforms like Instagram to integrate seamless verification systems that flag suspicious accounts or prompt users to provide additional verification. For example, Instagram’s new system will require teens attempting to change their birth date to prove their age through a video selfie or a government ID.
Challenges and limitations of AI and IDV in age verification
While AI and IDV solutions are powerful tools, they’re not without their challenges. For one, AI systems aren’t perfect—false positives can occur when legitimate users are flagged as underage due to behavioral patterns or incorrect data. This creates friction for users who must appeal the decision, potentially frustrating teens and parents alike.
Another significant issue is privacy. The use of biometric data, document scans, and behavioral analysis raises concerns about how this data is stored, used, and shared. Tech providers and social media platforms must ensure their systems comply with global privacy regulations like GDPR while also maintaining the security of sensitive user information.
And ultimately, despite advances in AI, some teens will undoubtedly continue finding ways to slip through the cracks. Instagram’s new measures will certainly help, but they’re not a foolproof solution.
The impact on teens and parents
These changes mark a significant shift in how teens and their parents interact with social media. On one hand, teens may find themselves frustrated by the new restrictions—after all, Instagram admits that it expects to lose some “teen growth and engagement.” Teens who are used to open, unrestricted access to social platforms may balk at the new limitations, such as being unable to message people they don’t follow or seeing less adult-oriented content.
But for parents, these changes bring a sense of relief. The enhanced protections mean they no longer have to manually set up restrictive controls through parental supervision tools. Teens under 16 will automatically be placed in the most restrictive settings unless their parents choose to override them, giving families more control over how their children use social media.
The future of age verification on social media
Looking ahead, the future of age verification will likely involve even more sophisticated AI and partnerships between social media platforms, tech providers, and device makers. Instagram has already hinted that Apple and Google could play a more prominent role by implementing age verification at the device level, offering a more comprehensive way to ensure users’ real ages without requiring apps to handle all the verification. Apple and Google have not signed up to this yet.
Tech providers will continue to innovate, enhancing IDV solutions to make verification faster, more accurate, and less intrusive. With these advancements, platforms may soon be able to block underage users from signing up altogether, creating a safer, more secure environment for teens online.
An ever-evolving, ever-improving process
As teens continue to find creative ways to bypass social media age restrictions, AI and tech providers of IDV solutions are stepping up to protect young users. Instagram’s anticipated changes are just one example of how platforms are adopting new technologies to create safer digital spaces. But while AI offers powerful tools to combat fake accounts, the road ahead will require continued innovation, collaboration, and a careful balance between privacy and security.
For parents, staying informed and using the available controls is key. For teens, understanding the risks of unfiltered access to social media can help them make safer choices. And for the tech world, the mission to ensure safer social media experiences has only just begun.
Through the leveraging of AI and working with IDV providers, social platforms like Instagram are taking a major step forward. As technology evolves, the ongoing collaboration between platforms, tech providers, regulators, and parents will be crucial in creating a secure digital environment for all users, especially the most vulnerable—our teens.
The message is clear: AI, IDV solutions, and tighter restrictions are necessary not just to verify age, but to protect the mental health, safety, and privacy of the next generation online.
About the post:
Images and videos are generative AI-created. Prompt: A young Asian boy in an old man costume, white mustache, spectacles, suspenders, gray wig, standing next to a young Asian girl in an old lady costume, thick glasses, pearl necklace, frumpy dress, humorous, silly. Tools: Midjourney, Luma.
About the author:
Emily Hendley is Senior Vice President of Enterprise Product Management for IDVerse. With over a decade and a half of experience in business analysis and product management, she has an extensive track record of delivering enterprise solutions that drive growth and enhance user experience, particularly in the onboarding space. Emily joined IDVerse in 2021.
