Recently, Meta announced its intention to utilize artificial intelligence to predict the ages of Instagram users, particularly those who identify as "teens". If the system suspects they are lying about their age, it will automatically transfer them to a teen account. This decision was made amidst strong public opposition to the impact of social media on the mental health of teenagers. In September, Meta introduced new accounts specifically designed for teenagers aged 13 to 17.
These teen accounts come with numerous built-in restrictions, such as who can contact them and what content they can view. Additionally, the system automatically hides potentially offensive comments and message requests. However, the effectiveness of these safety accounts relies on voluntary usage by teens or truthful age declarations. Therefore, Meta has devised a method to ensure accurate account allocation. They have developed a proprietary software tool called the "Adult Classifier", scheduled to launch next year, aimed at categorizing users into two groups: those aged 18 and above, and those below 18.
According to Allison Hartnett, Meta's Director of Product Management, this tool will scan users' profiles, the content they interact with, and their follower lists to determine their true age. Even seemingly innocuous messages like "happy birthday" could serve as clues to identify a user's age.
Based on Meta's own research in 2019, social media applications like Instagram can have a negative impact on the mental health of teenagers. In response to this issue, Meta plans to begin migrating teens who voluntarily provide their age information to the new teen accounts soon, and to roll out the "Adult Classifier" early next year.
This measure is Meta's latest effort to address public concerns about the impact of its platform on the mental health of teenagers. As early as 2021, a report in The Wall Street Journal revealed internal Meta documents showing that the company was aware of Instagram's harmful effects on the mental health of teenagers, especially girls. "We've made body image issues worse for one in three teenage girls," was a quote from a slide in Meta's 2019 internal report.
