YouTube is launching a test of a new AI-powered age verification system in the U.S. aimed at distinguishing between adults and minors based on the types of videos they watch.
This system will initially affect only a small portion of logged-in users in the U.S., with plans to expand if the system proves effective at age estimation, as it has in other regions.
The big picture: The age verification will work independently of the birth date users provide at signup, assessing their age purely based on viewing behavior.
- If the AI flags a user as under 18, YouTube will activate existing safeguards designed to protect minors, including restrictions on inappropriate video content, reminders to take breaks, privacy warnings, and limitations on personalized ad targeting.
- Users incorrectly identified as minors can appeal the decision by submitting a government-issued ID, a credit card, or a selfie to verify their actual age.
- YouTube allows viewing without logging into an account, but this mode triggers an automatic block on some content considered age-restricted, since there is no proof of age.
Driving the news: This new approach comes amid growing political pressure for better age verification on websites, intensified by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding a Texas law that prevents minors from viewing pornography online.
- While platforms like YouTube are enhancing their age verification efforts, some argue that primary responsibility should lie with the major app stores – Apple’s App Store and Google Play – which have resisted taking on this role.
