Will selfies finally have another use other than narcissism? This is what Instagram wants, but the realm of selfies. The social network of the Meta group will thus use selfies to verify the age of its users.
Since 2021, it is mandatory to indicate your age on Instagram. A measure aimed at creating a safer space for all users, in particular for those under 18 years of age. So this approach will be intensified, with video selfies being recorded to define your age.
Temporary selfies for permanent security
This selfie video feature was developed in collaboration with Yoti, a company specializing in online age verification. The tool will allow, thanks to the recorded selfie video, to analyze facial features and estimate the Internet user’s age. However, Instagram states in its press release that the selfies taken will be short-lived and will be deleted immediately after analysis.
Instagram had already implemented multiple processes to reinforce the safety of minors on its platform: setting the profile to private by default, blocking any unwanted contact (adults unknown to users) but also limiting ads in the application.
The social network had already experimented with various tools to verify age. In particular, the presentation of the identity document may be requested. The principle of “social testimony” has also been put to the test. This option required confirmation from three of the user’s contacts regarding the user’s age. This feature is no longer available.
A late arrival in Europe
The rollout of video selfie verification has been done gradually. A first test phase took place last June in the United States. On October 13, the functionality was extended to new countries such as India and Brazil. Now it is Europe and the United Kingdom that have access to this option.
“Ensuring a caring and safe space for all members of its community is a top priority for Instagram. The platform is constantly increasing its efforts to offer the best possible experience, especially for younger people,” Instagram said in its press release.
However, the problem of the protection of minors in social networks and age verification remains a broad topic. Many minors lie about their age to access different social networks. In the UK, almost one in two children lie about their age on Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook, where the age limit is 13.
Source: BFM TV
