YouTube is watching videos for minor users. As of Wednesday, the streaming video giant used artificial intelligence to determine if a particular user is under the age of 18.
If the system determines that the user is a minor, it will automatically apply “age-appropriate experience and protection,” the company says in a blog post. These protections include:
- Disable personalized ads.
- Turn on the Digital Well-Being Tool.
- Adds a safeguard to the recommendation, including restrictions on repeating views for several types of content.
If the user is actually 18 years old or older, they can verify their age by providing a government-issued ID or credit card.
“Only users who have been estimated or verified as over 18 will be allowed to view age-restricted content that is inappropriate for younger users,” the company said.
The AI system determines the age of a user, regardless of the birthday provided by the user's account. The system uses certain data points, such as the lifespan of your account, to determine the type of video you are searching for, the category of videos you watched, or the age.
AI will first only apply to “small sets of users” in the US and will be monitored by the company to ensure proper operation. YouTube says the focus of the system is “to ensure that teens are treated as adults and as adults.”
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