Instagram already knows a lot about its users, but soon it'll require everyone to hand over their birthday info if they want to keep using the app. As people become increasingly reliant on the connected world, there's building concern over how companies/websites handle personal information. Whether it be repeated data breaches or invasive privacy policies, it's all but impossible to remain 100 percent protected and anonymous.

In the case of Instagram, specifically, it's not exempt from his rule. It's had its own share of privacy incidents over the years, its connection to Facebook is less than ideal, and the enormous user base makes it a prime target for cybersecurity attacks. Instagram has made considerable steps over the years to improve its privacy image, but it's certainly not helping itself with this latest policy change.

Related: Facebook Wants To Launch An Instagram For Kids

In a recent blog post titled, "Asking People for Their Birthdays," Instagram VP of Youth Products — Pavni Diwanji — explains how Instagram is changing its stance on birthday info for all users. In the very near future, anyone who hasn't added their birthday to Instagram will be repeatedly reminded to do so — and eventually blocked from using the app if they keep refusing. Instagram started requiring birthday info for new accounts created from December 2019 and later, but until now, old accounts have been exempt from this rule.

Why Instagram Is Requiring Users' Birthdays

Instagram app icon with kids emojis

This obviously begs a big question: Why does Instagram need to know when someone was born? According to Diwanji, it all has to do with making Instagram safer for younger users. Instagram used to let anyone create an account without adding birthday information, potentially exposing kids to content they shouldn't see. As Diwanji puts it, "This information allows us to create new safety features for young people, and helps ensure we provide the right experiences to the right age group." Advocating for children's safety online is certainly a positive thing. However, using that as a reason to require birth information won't sit right with everyone.

Instagram hasn't said specifically when this change goes into effect, but it sounds like it's happening soon. For someone that doesn't have their birthday in the app, Instagram will begin pestering them with pop-ups on the home screen asking for that information. Users will be reminded "a handful of times," and if they continue to push it offer, they'll eventually "need to share it to continue using Instagram." And for folks who try to dismiss this requirement by entering a fake birthday, Instagram's developing new tools to sniff out this false information. Should Instagram's systems detect someone's entered birthday doesn't line up with what its AI has found, it'll then require that user verify their age.

This sounds like an incident where Instagram would find itself with negative press one way or the other. If it continued to not require birthday information for everyone, that leaves the potential for younger users to see things on the app that they shouldn't. Requiring birthdays is a good step to combat that, but it's not the best look from a privacy perspective. Instagram has a rocky history in making the app safe for kids and teens, so here's to hoping this is a step in the right direction — even if it means handing over one more bit of data to the app.

Next: How To Unlink Instagram From Facebook & Why It’s Worth Doing

Source: Instagram