Instagram is experimenting with new methods, such as facial scanning, to confirm users’ ages. In a blog post, the business revealed the trial, which started on June 23 and is only being implemented in the US now. Users who attempt to modify their age on the app from under 18 to over 18 are the main target of the study. These users have three options for proving their age: post a picture of their ID, ask three friends who know them well to confirm it, or take a video selfie.

If a user chooses the video selfie option, Instagram sends the recordings to Yoti, an identity-verification business with offices in London. According to the company, Yoti would check the user’s facial features in the videos to verify their ages. After confirming the user’s age, Yoti and Instagram will erase the information according to the notification. According to Instagram, which cited a whitepaper from the London company Yoti, the algorithm confirms the user’s age, not their identity.

Instagram claimed that the procedure would enable it to provide its users with suitable content for their age. “Online age identification is a problematic, cross-industry task. Therefore, to establish definite criteria for age verification online, we wish to collaborate with other businesses in our sector and with governments, “The company started in the blog entry.

The business stated that the company would remove the photograph after 30 days if a user decides to provide a photo of their ID to verify their age. Parents and critics have criticized Instagram, claiming it exposes children to hazardous information. Instagram began verifying users’ ages in 2019 to stop individuals under 13 from opening accounts.

It started requesting users’ birthdays in August from those already registered. And in September, Instagram Kids, a version of the program Facebook had been developing for users under the age of 13, which it controls and has since changed its name to Meta, was put on hold.

Several social media sites have started scanning users’ faces to prevent minors from accessing their services. To identify children, the French social networking site Yubo announced in May that it collaborated with Yoti to take pictures of users’ faces. China’s Tencent said in January that it would monitor users’ faces upon login to restrict the number of time kids spends gaming on their network.