Instagram is testing new ways to verify the age of its users through video selfies and social vouching by mutual friends.
The video selfie feature is an interesting feature from Instagram, as it takes a video of the user, analyzes them in 20 minutes, and deletes them afterward. The latter is emphasized, as it should address possible privacy issues. To make the video selfie verification possible, Instagram partnered with Yoti, which is a company that specializes in age verification.
The second age verification option is also interesting, as it will let you ask three of your mutual followers–all of them at least over 18 and not vouching for anyone else at the same time–to vouch for your age within three days. This mode of age verification should be easy if you have many mutual friends on your account.
Why is Instagram doing all of these new age verification methods? Aside from requiring users to be at least 13 years old (or older in other countries) to use Instagram, the social media platform aims to tailor the app for them. “When we know if someone is a teen (13-17), we provide them with age-appropriate experiences like defaulting them into private accounts, preventing unwanted contact from adults they don’t know, and limiting the options advertisers have to reach them with ads,” Instagram explains.
Currently, both features are being tested in the US, and is expected to roll out globally soon.
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