“Instagram Testing Age Verification Technology”

I discuss app ratings vs. developmental psychology at most of my trainings. Is an app rating congruent with the developmental age of a child? For example, the app rating for TikTok is 12+. Here is why it is rated 12+.

This was taken directly from the Apple App Store.

“Age Rating
12+
Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humor
Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
Infrequent/Mild Sexual Content and Nudity
Infrequent/Mild Alcohol, Tobacco, or Drug Use or References
Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes”

In my eyes, based upon this app rating and the content I’ve found on it, TikTok is not congruent with the development of your average 12 year old. Not all content on TikTok is adult-themed, but adult-themed content is easy to find on TikTok.

Recently, Instagram has started to test an age-verification system to help keep youth off of apps at a young age. They are using two methods. “Faced Based Age Prediction” and “Social Vouching.” I think this is an attempt to help limit access to youth at a young age, but may fall short in the long run as most kids can figure ways around age-verification systems if they work hard enough.

Instagram struggles with adult-themed content just like TikTok. Instagrams current app rating is 12+, and in my eyes should be bumped (along with TikTok) to 17+.

Take a minute and learn more about how Instagram is attempting to enhance their age-verification system.

~Ryan