Platform operators enforce rigid age verification requirements under direct pressure from child safety regulators like the FTC and the European Data Protection Board. During registration, the interface asks for an unchangeable birthdate. Entering a date below 13 triggers an immediate software lock that blacklists your hardware fingerprint from another attempt for days.
Users between 13 and 17 receive default protections: automated private profiles, blocked direct messaging, and restrictions on algorithmic targeting. Once entered, modifying your age requires manual support tickets, government-issued identification cards, or biometric facial age estimation through third-party processors like Yoti. Setting the correct birthdate during initial account creation avoids profile freezes, shadowbans, and identity verification deadlocks later on.
