Instagram has announced that it is testing new options for users to verify their age on the platform and is starting with people in the United States.
If someone attempts to edit their date of birth on Instagram from under the age of 18 to 18 or over, it would require them to verify their age using one of three options.
- Upload their ID
- Record a video selfie
- Ask mutual friends to verify their age
In a blog post, the company said that it is taking this step to make sure teens and adults are in the right experience for their age group. It has also partnered with Yoti, a company that specialises in online age verification, to improve people’s privacy.
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One can choose to upload a video selfie to verify their age. After the user takes a video selfie, Instagram will share it with Yoti. Yoti’s technology estimates the person’s age based on their facial features and shares that estimate with Instagram. Meta and Yoti then delete the image. Instagram adds that the technology cannot recognise the person’s identity, only the age.
For social vouching, it will let the user ask mutual followers to confirm how old they are. The person vouching must be at least 18 years old, must not be vouching for anyone else at that time and will need to meet other safeguards the company requires. The three people the user selects to vouch for them will receive a request to confirm their age and will need to respond within three days.
