Instagram says new users must now enter full birth date

Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Instagram introduced a new age verification process on Wednesday that requires new users enter their birth date when setting up an account, to "tailor" age-appropriate experiences.

The move is a change from the app's former policy that required signers up to merely acknowledge they're at least 13 years of age by checking a box.

The Facebook-owned company said it made the change to prevent underage users from joining Instagram, to "keep young people safer" and "enable more age-appropriate experiences."

Instagram said birth dates will not be visible to other users.

The app is especially popular among younger users. A 2018 survey by the Pew Research Center found 72 percent of U.S. teenagers said they'd used the photo-sharing platform.