YouTube will implement artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and apply restrictions to accounts believed to belong to underage users. The initiative, set to begin on August 13th, will initially focus on users within the United States.
The AI-powered age estimation technology will analyze account activity and the age declared upon account creation to determine if a user is under 18. This system aims to automatically extend existing protections to minors on the platform.
Accounts identified as belonging to users under 18 will be subject to specific safeguards. These include blocking access to age-restricted videos, disabling personalized advertisements, and activating “take a break” notifications as reminders. Furthermore, the system limits repeated video recommendations related to sensitive subjects, such as body image concerns.
YouTube will also automatically enable privacy reminders for detected underage users. These reminders will appear when users upload videos or post comments, encouraging caution regarding personal information.
These measures align with Google’s previously announced intentions to utilize machine learning for age estimation. This also corresponds with a global increase in online child safety regulations. The United Kingdom’s online age verification rules, which require users to verify their age on sites containing pornography or other content viewed as harmful, recently went into effect.
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Despite the implementation of AI, the system is not infallible. James Beser, YouTube’s director of product management, stated, “Over the next few weeks, we’ll begin to roll out machine learning to a small set of users in the US to estimate their age, so that teens are treated as teens and adults as adults.”
Users who are incorrectly flagged as underage will have the opportunity to verify their age. The verification process involves uploading a government-issued identification card, submitting a selfie, or entering credit card information.
The platform acknowledges potential consequences for content creators. YouTube notes that creators may “experience a shift in their audience categorized as teens,” potentially leading to a decrease in ad revenue. This potential revenue impact stems from the restriction of personalized ads for underage users.
The initial rollout of this AI system will be limited to a small user group within the United States. YouTube plans to “closely monitor” the update before expanding its implementation to other countries, according to Beser.
