YouTube To Use AI To Detect Viewers Under 18
New system will apply age-appropriate protections and limit access to restricted content
YouTube announced it will begin using artificial intelligence (AI) to determine whether viewers in the United States are under the age of 18, starting August 13.
“We will use AI to interpret a variety of signals that help us to determine whether a user is over or under 18. These signals include the types of videos a user is searching for, the categories of videos they have watched, or the longevity of the account,” YouTube said in a blog post.
When a user is identified as being under 18, YouTube will apply age-appropriate protections. These include disabling personalized advertising, enabling digital well-being tools, and adding safeguards to recommendations, such as limiting repetitive views of certain types of content.
If the AI incorrectly estimates a user’s age, they can verify that they are 18 or older using a credit card or government ID. “We will only allow users who have been inferred or verified as over 18 to view age-restricted content that may be inappropriate for younger users,” said YouTube.
The feature will be initially rolled out to “a small set of users” in the US.
