As Instagram tests a new age verification tool, what are some of the concerns when it comes to confirming someone’s age on the internet?
Instagram – which has come under fire in recent years over its potential impact on the mental health of teens – has just announced that it’s testing a new tool for age verification. Users who attempt to change their age from below 18 to above 18 will need to prove their age, using one of these three options – upload their ID, send a video selfie, or ask three adults to vouch for them. Available in the United States for now, the new method is designed to help the app better enforce age restrictions and ensure it offers age-appropriate content to its younger users.
In this video, Tony shares his thoughts in on Instagram’s move and weighs in on:
- the implications of age verification
- two ‘camps’ in the debate around age verification
- why age-appropriateness is such a complex subject