Social network Instagram will require users’ birthdays

The social media app said the new birthday pop-up notifications will begin to appear this week on the mobile app and will continue to roll out over the weeks ahead

Instagram will begin requiring users to confirm their birthdays as part of an effort to create new safety features for young people, the Facebook-owned social media app said on Monday.

Instagram has explored building a version of its app for kids under the age of 13, prompting lawmakers to urge Facebook to drop the plans, saying the social media company has a clear record of failing to protect children on its platforms.

Instagram said in a blog post it will use the information to “ensure we provide the right experiences to the right age group.” Last month, the company said it would default users under 16 to a private account when they join the platform.

The app said it will ask users for their birthdays when they open Instagram and then show several pop-up notifications if the user does not enter their birthday. At some point, users will be required to submit their birth date to continue using the app, Instagram said.

The changes will only affect Instagram users who have not previously shared their birthday on the app. Instagram added it was aware that some users might enter a false birth date and said it was developing new technology to address such issues.

That technology is still in the “early stages,” says Instagram, but will involve a menu of options that will allow someone to verify their age.

Instagram says the new birthday pop-up notifications will begin to appear this week on the mobile app and will continue to roll out over the weeks ahead to reach more users.

The company is now one of several to have rolled out added protections for younger teen users, ahead of regulations that would force them to do so. Over the course of this year, TikTok, YouTube and Google have also announced changes to how younger teens can use their services and how they can be targeted by ads.