YouTube to Launch New AI Technology to Identify Teen Users and Enhance Safety
By Mary Cunningham, CBS MoneyWatch
July 29, 2025
YouTube announced on Tuesday that it will soon introduce a groundbreaking age-estimation technology powered by artificial intelligence designed to better identify users under the age of 18. This new initiative aims to shield younger teens from potentially harmful content on the platform.
AI-Powered Age Detection
The upcoming feature harnesses artificial intelligence to analyze users’ viewing habits—including the types of videos watched, content categories, and the duration of account activity—to estimate their age. This approach helps the platform determine a user’s likely age even if the birthday information provided during account registration is inaccurate or falsified, explained James Beser, YouTube’s director of product management, in a statement on the company’s official blog.
If the AI system concludes that a user is under 18, YouTube will enact additional protective measures. These include disabling personalized advertising directed at the user and restricting repetitive exposure to specific content types that might be unsuitable for minors. In instances where the algorithm incorrectly assesses a user’s age, individuals will have the option to verify their age by submitting official identification to rectify the error.
"YouTube will only allow users identified or verified as over 18 to access age-restricted content that may be inappropriate for younger viewers," the company stated.
Expanding Safety Measures for Teens
This forthcoming capability builds on YouTube’s existing safety features, such as supervised accounts, which empower parents to better monitor and control their children’s activities on the site. Since YouTube is the most popular social media platform among teens—a recent Pew Research Center survey found that 90% of teens aged 13 to 17 use YouTube, compared with 63% who use TikTok—the importance of such protective technology is critical.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan initially unveiled plans for this age-detection tool earlier this year in February. The company emphasizes that the tool has already been deployed successfully in select international markets, though it has not disclosed which countries specifically.
Balancing Safety and Expression
YouTube has long utilized AI to identify and remove harmful content from its platform. However, since President Trump’s second term began in January, the social media site reportedly shifted its moderation policies toward emphasizing "freedom of expression" over stringent safety controls, according to The New York Times. This new age-estimation technology reflects YouTube’s ongoing effort to strike a balance between protecting younger audiences and maintaining open access for users.
Next Steps
YouTube plans to roll out the age-detection tool to a limited group of users in the United States in the coming weeks for initial testing. Following this pilot phase, the company aims to expand the feature more broadly to enhance teen safety across the platform.
Google, YouTube’s parent company, had not responded to CBS MoneyWatch’s request for comment at the time of publication.
About the Author:
Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch, specializing in business and finance news. She previously contributed to "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com, and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.
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