In an era where digital platforms shape the cultural experiences of younger generations, YouTube is taking a new step toward regulating age-appropriate content. The video-sharing giant has begun testing an artificial intelligence system in the United States to estimate users’ ages – a move that reflects growing global pressure on tech companies to better protect minors online.
YouTube has started testing an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to identify the age of its users in the United States, in an effort to better protect minors from content and online habits considered inappropriate for them.
"This technology will allow us to infer a user’s age and use that signal independently of the date of birth listed on the account to offer appropriate experiences and protections," the Google-owned video platform explained in a blog post at the end of July.
The testing phase for a portion of U.S. users began on Wednesday, according to a message sent to content creators.
The technology is designed to interpret "various signals," such as the types of videos searched for and watched, or even how long the account has existed.
If the system determines that a user is under 18, teenage-specific rules will be automatically applied: ads will no longer be personalized, and safeguards will be activated in recommendations to limit repeated viewing of certain types of content.
If a mistake occurs, the user "will have the option to prove they are 18 or older, for example by using a credit card or official ID," YouTube specified.
The streaming service added that it had already successfully tested this system elsewhere and plans to expand it to other markets.
YouTube and many other platforms, notably Instagram (Meta) and TikTok, are regularly accused of harming the mental health of children and teenagers, and of failing to sufficiently protect them from online dangers, addictive content, and predators.
Many countries and U.S. states are trying to force tech giants to enforce age-related regulations.
Australia recently decided to ban YouTube for those under 16 in order to protect them from "predatory algorithms," according to Communications Minister Anika Wells.
The Australian Parliament had already passed a pioneering law in 2024 banning access to social networks such as TikTok, X, Facebook, and Instagram for minors under 16, but YouTube was not initially included.
With AFP
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