Instagram is implementing the new verification methods to ensure that the users on the platform are given an experience that is in line with tier age. This can include but not limited to “defaulting into private accounts, preventing unwanted contact from adults they don’t know and limiting the options advertisers have to reach them with ads”.
Instagram is Introducing New Ways of Age Verification to Keep the Platform Safe for the Younger Audience
Instagram has also mentioned that this is an expansion that traces back to 2019, back then, the platform started asking users to give mention their age by providing their birthday. The company states that “knowing people’s age allows us to provide appropriate experiences to different age groups, specifically teens.” It has also been a rule that the user has to be 13 years or older to use the service. As stated before, users will be able to upload an ID, send a video, or have people vouch for them. If you are sending a video, your data will be processed by Yoti, which is a firm that specializes in digital identification as well as security. You will then go on and verify your age and once that is complete, the selfie will be deleted from Meta and Yoti. Meta is being upfront here, and has talked about how the technology involved is not looking for an identity but only looking to verify the age. Instagram has tried video verification before, but the system was not implemented properly. As for the social vouching, mutual followers will be able to confirm how old you really are. There are only two requirements to this method, one is that the person vouching for you is 18 years or older and the second is that they are not currently vouching for anyone else. This will require a total of three people to complete and will take around three days to process. You can read all about this joint venture between Instagram and Yoti here.