YouTube is switching on an AI-powered age check in the US today, and it’s bringing significant changes to the way that teens access the online video platform.
Interestingly, the new system uses machine learning to infer if a signed-in user is likely under 18, and then automatically activates teen protections – even if you said you were older when you created the account.
The company is confident in the tech, having tested it previously in other markets, and its US rollout suggests it’ll be coming to regions like the UK in the near future.
How can YouTube accurately predict your age?
YouTube says that the model looks at broad signals like the types of videos you search and watch across TV, mobile and web, as well as how long your account has been active.
Crucially, it’s not about a single genre tipping the scales, so don’t worry if your nieces or nephews watch Bluey on your YouTube account or you enjoy a bit of old school Pokémon from time to time – hey, we all need that hit of nostalgia every now and again. Instead, it’s about weighing multiple elements together.
If YouTube thinks you’re a teen, you’ll get a notification alerting you to the fact, and you’ll have new restrictions put on your account. That includes elements like non-personalised ads, digital wellbeing tools like Take a Break and bedtime reminders enabled by default, and extra privacy nudges when you leave comments or try to upload a video yourself.
Most importantly for a teen account, you’ll be locked out from viewing 18+ age-restricted videos.
What if you get incorrectly flagged?
Of course, using machine learning to infer your age will likely result in a number of mistakes – but you’ve always got the option of verifying your age to lift the locked teen settings.
YouTube says you can upload a government-validated ID, a selfie or a credit card to verify just how old you are.
Not everyone is happy about the idea of submitting ID to overturn a bad decision made by AI, of course, but YouTube simply says that ID upload is voluntary.
It’s worth noting that the restrictions will also be lifted if you watch YouTube without an account – but that’ll also block access to 18+ age-rated videos, so it’s not the perfect workaround.
When is the wider rollout coming?
Right now, the AI-powered age verification is exclusive to the US, but YouTube says it’ll “closely monitor” the rollout before expanding to other markets.
That’ll almost certainly include the UK at some point down the line, especially given the recent rollout of the UK Online Safety Act, which requires UK residents to submit valid ID or a selfie before accessing 18+ content.
