On Tuesday, YouTube announced plans to implement an innovative age-estimation feature designed to recognize users who are under the age of 18. This initiative aims to enhance safety for younger teens by shielding them from potentially harmful content available on the platform.
The age-detection technology will utilize artificial intelligence to evaluate users' ages. It will take into account factors such as the types of videos viewed, the categories those videos belong to, and the duration of the user's account, rather than relying strictly on the provided birthdate. According to James Beser, YouTube's director of product management, this approach will ensure that minors receive additional content regulation, which includes disabling personalized ads and restricting excessive viewing of specific content types.
In cases where the age-detection technology mistakenly categorizes a user as underage, individuals will have the option to submit identification to rectify the situation. YouTube emphasized that only those verified or inferred to be over the age of 18 will gain access to age-restricted content that could be deemed unsuitable for younger viewers.
Parent company Google has yet to provide comments regarding this new feature. Notably, a recent survey from Pew indicated that YouTube reigns as the most utilized social media app among teens, with an impressive 90% of users aged 13 to 17 reporting its use compared to 63% for TikTok.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan had previously mentioned the introduction of this age-detection tool in February. This new feature builds on existing safety measures such as supervised accounts, which help parents oversee their children's YouTube use. Moreover, YouTube has employed AI technology to detect and eliminate harmful content, although the platform's policies have recently shifted to prioritize "freedom of expression" over safety since President Trump's return to office in January, according to The New York Times.
YouTube plans to conduct testing of the age-estimation tool in the upcoming weeks with a select group of U.S. users before broader deployment. The technology has already been successfully implemented in other markets, although specific locations have not been disclosed.
5 Comments
Loubianka
AI is notoriously inaccurate. Imagine being wrongly flagged as a minor and losing access to content you need for school or research.
BuggaBoom
Another way for Big Tech to control what we see and silence voices. This is just censorship in disguise.
Comandante
This just gives a false perception that YouTube is a truly safe place for kids. This is a PR move.
Muchacha
I like that they are using AI to determine age more comprehensively and not just relying on a birthdate, which can be inaccurate.
Mariposa
How effective can this technology be when creators can produce content that circumvents these restrictions?