Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels

YouTube is rolling out an AI-powered age estimation system to better protect minors on its platform. Beginning August 13th in the US, the system will analyze user activity to identify accounts likely belonging to individuals under 18. These flagged accounts will automatically receive the protections afforded to self-identified minors, including restrictions on age-restricted content, non-personalized advertising, ‘take a break’ reminders, and reduced exposure to sensitive recommendations. YouTube will also provide privacy reminders during video uploads and commenting.

This initiative aligns with broader efforts to enhance online child safety and follows Google’s prior announcement of using machine learning for age estimation. Globally, regulations are tightening, with the UK already enforcing online age verification and various US states implementing laws restricting minors’ access to specific content. The EU is actively exploring age verification solutions. YouTube will notify users identified as potentially underage, offering age verification options such as submitting a government ID, selfie, or credit card.

The platform acknowledges that content creators might experience shifts in their audience demographics and potentially see changes in ad revenue due to the restrictions placed on advertising to minors. According to James Beser, YouTube’s director of product management, the initial rollout will target a small segment of US users for close monitoring before expanding the AI-driven age estimation system internationally.