YouTube is preparing to take strict action against children and teenagers who provide false information about their age when creating an account. Starting August 13, the company will introduce a new age verification system in the United States based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology. This system will detect users under the age of 18, even if they have provided a false date of birth at the time of sign-up.
Until now, YouTube relied solely on the date of birth provided by users when creating an account. However, the new system will estimate a user’s actual age based on their activity. It will analyze factors such as the type of videos the user watches, the searches they make on the platform, and how long the account has been active to determine their age. The aim of this move is to curb situations where minors use adult accounts or hide their real age.
If the system determines that someone is under the age of 18, personalized ads on that account will be immediately disabled. In addition, digital well-being features will be activated, including bedtime reminders and screen time monitoring. Access to certain sensitive content, or content that could be harmful if viewed repeatedly, will also be restricted.
However, the company has acknowledged that the system is not entirely error-free. There is a possibility that adult users may also be identified as minors, such as parents who frequently watch children’s content.
In such cases, users will be required to verify their age through a government-issued ID, a photo of themselves, or credit card details. Nevertheless, this could raise privacy concerns for some users.
YouTube will initially roll out this system only in the United States. The company stated that it will expand the system to other countries only after gathering user feedback and improving its accuracy.
