YouTube will begin using machine learning to determine if your audience should be on a teenage account. The company plans to begin using the AI application with a subset of US users over the next few weeks before rolling out to the rest of the market. This tool evaluates the user's behavior, including the type of video being searched, the category of videos being viewed, and the duration of the account. If machine learning considers an account to be a teenager, YouTube will disable personalized ads, activate digital well-being tools, and add other safeguards to younger users.
Since introducing it in 2021, YouTube has continued to add to younger users. The company said it uses this machine learning approach “it has been working well in other markets for some time.”
YouTube is not the only service that leverages AI tools to catch users who may be lying about their age. However, it puts a burden on users to correct false positives. “If the system mistakenly assumes it's under 18, there's the option to make sure you're over 18, such as using a credit card or government ID.” Meta began rolling out across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger earlier this year, but when AI tools incorrectly guess their age, people just change settings.
