Instagram makes age verification mandatory to protect younger users | Digit

In order to make the platform more creative and safe, Instagram will ask its users to update their birthday. This will allow the company to create new safety features for young people, and personalize user experience to provide the right experience to the right age group. This information also allows Instagram to restrict advertiser targeting options for audiences under the age of 18, to more people. And helps Instagram show users more relevant ads.

This work began a few years ago when Instagram started asking people for their birthdays

While Instagram has birthdays for most users, to get a more complete picture, the company will introduce two new changes. These changes only apply to people who haven’t already shared their birthday.

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First, the app will ask you for your birthday when you open the application. Then I’ll show you a notification a handful of times and if users haven’t provided their birthday by a certain point, users need to share it to continue using the app. This information is necessary for new features that the company develops to protect young people. 

Second,if you continue to see a warning screen placed on a post, Instagram will ask you for your birthday before you can see the post.These screens aren’t new as Instagram has  already shown them on posts that may be sensitive or graphic, but don’t currently ask for your birthday when viewing these posts. Now, the app I’ll start asking for your birthday on some of these screens if you haven’t shared it with them previously. 

Instagram recognized some people may give them the wrong birthday 

The company is developing new systems to address this. As it stated recently, Instagram uses artificial intelligence to estimate how old people are based on things like “Happy Birthday” posts. In the future, if someone says they are above a certain age, and the company’s technology says otherwise, the app  will  show you a menu of options to verify your age. This work is still in the early stages, and the company is looking  forward to sharing more details soon.

All changes are made to improve the safety and experience of young users.