YouTube Employs AI for Age Verification in the US

YouTube is set to implement artificial intelligence in the United States to ascertain the age of its viewers, aiming to bolster child protection. This was announced in the company’s blog.

The company will utilize AI to “interpret various signals,” including search queries, content categories viewed, and account age, to assess a user’s age.

If the system determines that a user is under 18, YouTube will automatically apply standard protective measures for teenagers.

“This will occur regardless of the birth date provided when creating the account. We already employ this approach in other countries where it works well, and we are now gradually rolling it out in the US,” the company asserts.

Testing will commence on August 13 and will initially involve a limited number of users.

Technology companies are adapting to new age verification requirements that have come into effect in several US states and beyond. These regulations mandate platforms to confirm users’ ages to protect children from harmful content, including pornography.

Child rights advocates argue that the responsibility for age verification should lie with technology companies to ensure a safer online environment for minors.

On YouTube, if the system identifies a user as under 18, the platform activates protections for teenagers. These include:

• absence of personalized ads;
• “take a break” reminders;
• privacy reminders;
• reduced recommendations of content that “may be problematic if viewed repeatedly.”

If a user is mistakenly flagged as a minor, they can prove otherwise using identification, a bank card, or a selfie.

In July, YouTube introduced a new AI feature to its Shorts service, allowing images to be transformed into six-second clips.