## YouTube Rolls Out AI Age-Estimation in the U.S. to Automatically Restrict Users Under 18 **Report Provider:** Variety **Author:** Todd Spangler **Published:** August 13, 2025 ### Overview YouTube, a Google-owned platform, has begun testing an **AI-powered age-estimation model** in the United States. This technology aims to automatically identify users under the age of 18 and apply certain restrictions to their accounts, regardless of the birthday information provided by the user. The initiative is presented as a measure to enhance protections for younger viewers. ### Key Findings and Features: * **AI-Driven Age Estimation:** The core of the update is an AI model that analyzes various user signals, including YouTube activity and account longevity, to predict if a user is under 18. * **Automatic Restrictions:** If the AI system estimates a user to be under 18, their account will automatically have restrictions and enhanced security measures enabled. * **User Verification Option:** Users who believe the AI's age estimation is incorrect will have the option to verify their age through methods such as government ID, selfie, or credit card. * **Phased Rollout:** The technology is initially being rolled out to a "small set of users" in the U.S. to refine its accuracy and ensure a positive user experience. * **Global Precedent:** YouTube has reportedly been using similar machine learning models to estimate user ages in other countries where the technology has been effective. ### Protections for Users Under 18: The restrictions applied to accounts identified as belonging to users under 18 mirror those already in place for users who have self-declared their age as under 18. These include: * **Non-Personalized Ads:** Only ads that are not tailored to individual user preferences will be shown. * **Digital Wellbeing Tools:** Features like "take a break" reminders and bedtime reminders will be enabled by default. * **Privacy Reminders:** Users will receive prompts about privacy when uploading videos or commenting publicly. * **Minimized Problematic Recommendations:** Recommendations for videos with content that could be "problematic if viewed in repetition" will be minimized. * **Blocked Age-Restricted Content:** Access to videos specifically age-restricted for viewers 18 and older will be blocked. ### Impact on Creators: While YouTube anticipates a "limited impact" for most creators, some may experience changes: * **Private Uploads by Default:** For users identified as under 18, new uploads will be set to private by default. * **Restricted Gifting on Live Streams:** The ability to earn from gifts on vertical live streams will be restricted for this user group. * **Potential Ad Revenue Shift:** Creators may see a decrease in ad revenue if a significant portion of their audience is re-categorized as teens, due to the limitation of serving non-personalized ads to these viewers. ### YouTube's Stated Goals: James Beser, senior director of product management for YouTube's youth products, emphasized that the move is about "delivering safety protections while preserving teen privacy" and ensuring that "teens are treated as teens and adults as adults." He stated that the platform aims to provide "safe and enriching experiences" and will continue to invest in protecting users' ability to explore online safely.
YouTube Launches AI Age-Verification in U.S., Which Will Automatically Restrict Users Estimated to Be Under 18
Read original at Variety →Are you a kid watching YouTube? The Google-owned platform is testing technology in the U.S. that can predict if you’re under 18 — and automatically add certain restrictions to your account.YouTube says the move is aimed at providing better protections for younger users. On Wednesday, it began rolling out an “age-estimation model” in the U.
S. that uses AI to determine if someone is under 18, regardless of the birthday they’ve entered into their account.If YouTube’s AI-based system calculates that someone is likely less than 18 years old, it will place restrictions on and add other security measures to the account. According to YouTube, users will “have the option to verify your age (through government ID, selfie or a credit card) if you believe our age estimation model is incorrect.
”Popular on VarietyThe rollout of AI will initially cover a “small set of users” in the U.S. to estimate their age, “so that teens are treated as teens and adults as adults,” James Beser, senior director of product management for YouTube’s youth products, wrote in blog post. “This technology will allow us to infer a user’s age and then use that signal, regardless of the birthday in the account, to deliver our age-appropriate product experiences and protections.
”YouTube has used machine learning to estimate users’ ages in other countries “for some time, where it is working well,” according to Beser. In the U.S., YouTube will “closely monitor the user experience, and partner with Creators to ensure that the entire ecosystem benefits from this update,” he added.
According to YouTube, the age estimation model uses a variety of signals such as YouTube activity and longevity of the account. If the system determines that you are under 18, you will be notified and “standard protections for teen accounts on YouTube will automatically be enabled.”Those “protections” (which are already applied for users who have told YouTube they’re under 18) include: showing only non-personalized ads; enabling “digital wellbeing” tools by default, including “take a break” and bedtime reminders; showing reminders about privacy when uploading a video or commenting publicly; minimizing recommendations of videos with content that could be “problematic if viewed in repetition”; and blocking access to videos that are age-restricted for only viewers 18 and older (determined by YouTube or verified by users).
For creators, YouTube will apply some additional protections including setting uploads as private by default for anyone and restricting the ability to earn from gifts on vertical live streams. While the video platform expects the changes to have “limited impact” for most creators, YouTube noted that “some creators may experience a shift in their audience categorized as teens (under 18).
This may result in a decrease in ad revenue since we only serve non-personalized ads to those viewers.”“YouTube was one of the first platforms to offer experiences designed specifically for young people, and we’re proud to again be at the forefront of introducing technology that allows us to deliver safety protections while preserving teen privacy,” Beser wrote in the blog post.
“Families trust YouTube to provide a safe and enriching experience, and we’ll continue to invest to protect their ability to explore safely online.”
