YouTube Tests AI Tool Aimed at Determining User Age

SadaNews - YouTube has begun testing an AI-based tool that allows it to determine the age of its users in the United States, with the aim of providing better protection for minors against inappropriate online content and browsing habits.

The video platform, which is part of the Google Group, explained in a blog post at the end of July that this technology will enable it to "infer the user's age and use this signal - regardless of the date of birth recorded in the account - to provide tailored experiences and protection," according to the French Press Agency.

The testing phase of this technology started on Wednesday for a segment of users on the platform in the United States, according to a message to content creators.

This technology analyzes "various signals," such as the types of videos the user has searched for and watched, and the longevity of the account.

If the system determines that the user is under 18, the rules applicable to teenagers will automatically apply to them, including the cessation of receiving personalized ads, activating preventive measures in recommendations, and notably limiting the repetition of watching certain content.

In the event of an error, the user will be given the "opportunity to prove that they are 18 years old or older, using a bank card or an official ID, for example," as mentioned by YouTube.

The platform indicated that it has successfully tested this system in other locations and plans to expand its scope to include other markets.

YouTube and several other platforms, primarily Instagram (from Meta) and TikTok, are continuously accused of harming the health of children and adolescents and failing to provide adequate protection against risks, addiction, harmful content, and predators.

Several countries and U.S. states are striving to force major technology companies to ensure compliance with regulations regarding user ages.

Australian authorities recently decided to ban children under the age of 16 from using YouTube to protect them from what Communication Minister Annika Wells described as "predatory algorithms."

In November 2024, the Australian Parliament passed a pioneering internet regulation law that prohibited those under 16 from using social media sites such as TikTok, X, Facebook, and Instagram, but YouTube was not included in this law.