Instagram is extending its test to verify the age of its users in India and Brazil. The platform said in a blog post that the test is to ensure 'teens and adults are in the right experience for their age group.'
The feature is already available in the US. The test will be extended to the UK and Europe before the end of this year, Instagram said.
According to data by Sensor Tower quoted in a TechCrunch report, India and Brazil together have about 400 million monthly active users on Instagram. "We are partnering with Yoti, a company that specialises in online age verification, to help ensure people's privacy," Instagram said in its statement.
Users have two methods to change or edit their age from under 18 to above 18: by uploading an ID or using a selfie video. Yoti’s digital service will verify the age based on the facial feature.
Instagram is removing social vouching as an option, which lets individuals request their mutual followers aged 18 and above to vouch for their age.