Social media companies are trying harder to know which users are kids

Social media giants like Meta, Google, TikTok, and Roblox are investing more resources into developing age assurance systems to identify underage users. This is crucial, as accurate identification is essential for implementing effective child safety measures, even though no system is perfect. Companies are turning to artificial intelligence to estimate users' ages based on various contextual clues, such as posts about birthdays or school activities, as well as visual cues like height and bone structure in photos.

Meta's AI system, for instance, looks at a user's watch history to differentiate between adults and minors. Google has also implemented AI-based age assurance on YouTube. Despite these efforts, challenges remain, including privacy concerns and potential inaccuracies, particularly for certain demographic groups. The $18 billion settlement with Meta includes a year to refine its age verification approach and regular audits to ensure its effectiveness.

However, critics argue that such verification systems could lead to a less free and secure internet, with users being denied access to a wide range of content based on age verification outcomes.