Instagram Will Make Mandatory Birthday Checks, And Might Know If You’re Lying
Image via Instagram
In an update to the company’s policy, Instagram will now require users to share their birthday details. The social media app said this new rule is a step towards protecting young people on the platform.
While users have been required to provide their birthday details when signing up since 2019, earlier users may not have shared such information with the app.
Over the “next few weeks,” Instagram will notify users who haven’t shared their details to do so. Eventually, the platform will require this information from everyone.
According to Engadget, there are two scenarios in which users will be asked to share their birthdays. Firstly, they may receive a prompt “a handful of times,” asking them for their information.
Secondly, a different notification may also pop up if users try to view a post behind a warning message. They will not be able to see the posts till they provide a birthday, and younger users could possibly be blocked from seeing “sensitive content” altogether.
Image via Instagram
Interestingly, Instagram also said it will be using artificial intelligence to check if a user has provided a false birthday. Suspected users may also be asked to “verify” their details, though it’s unclear what that exactly entails at the moment.
“In the future, if someone tells us they’re above a certain age, and our technology tells us otherwise, we’ll show them a menu of options to verify their age. This work is still in the early stages, and we look forward to sharing more soon,” explained Instagram.
Aside from preventing them from viewing inappropriate content, the app is taking other steps to keep younger users safe. Teens’ accounts will be made private by default, and Instagram has also introduced safety measures to prevent strangers from messaging them.
[via Engadget, images via Instagram]
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