AI age verification is coming to YouTube, and it’s almost certainly going to be a frustrating process for some people.
Also: How to download YouTube videos for free – 2 ways, including my favorite
In an announcement yesterday, the streaming video service says it’s “extending our built-in protections” by letting AI predict your age. If the system thinks you’re under 18 based on your actions, your account will automatically receive age restrictions.
Variety of signals
YouTube says it will use AI to interpret “a variety of signals” that determine whether a user is over or under 18. This includes the type of videos you search, the category of videos you watch, and the age of the account. When I reached out for more information on this, a YouTube representative stressed that the age-estimation model “does not collect any new information not already associated with the account.”
Also: Some YouTube TV subscribers can save $60 with this trick – here’s how
If a user is identified as under 18, YouTube says users will be notified and provided a link to prove their age.
In the meantime, YouTube will automatically apply age-appropriate protections like disabling personalized advertising, turning on digital wellbeing tools (including a screen timer, bedtime reminder, and break reminder), and safeguards to recommendations like limiting repetitive views of some kinds of content. The wellbeing protections have been around since 2023, but they were applied to accounts that honestly shared the age of the user.
YouTube explained that it has tried this system in other locations and that it has worked well so far.
Proving your age
Here’s the part that’s going to frustrate some users: YouTube is leaving it up to you to fix any problems with this process.
If the AI falsely identifies you as under 18 and implements restrictions, you’ll have to go through a verification process to prove your age. YouTube’s release only mentioned providing a credit card or government ID, but when I reached out, a representative explained that you can also provide a selfie. If you can’t verify your age through one of those means, the restrictions won’t be removed.
Also: I’m a long-time YouTube video producer – these 3 AI tools help me do it better and faster
Especially since account age is considered (my own Gmail and YouTube accounts are old enough to have graduated college at this point), it seems like this might affect users right at the age limit the most. Users right around 18 probably have a government ID, but there’s a good chance many don’t have a credit card, so a selfie verification might be the way to go.
YouTube isn’t the first platform to introduce AI age verification (Instagram rolled them out just a few months ago), but it’s the only one I could find that leaves the burden of correction to the user.
Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
