YouTube to Launch New AI-Powered Technology to Identify Teen Users
By Mary Cunningham, CBS MoneyWatch
Edited by Anne Marie D. Lee
In a significant move to enhance online safety for younger audiences, YouTube announced on Tuesday that it is introducing a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered age-estimation tool designed to identify users under the age of 18. This initiative underscores the platform’s commitment to protecting teenagers from harmful and inappropriate content.
How the Technology Works
The new age-detection technology utilizes AI to estimate a user’s age by analyzing several factors, including the types and categories of videos watched and the duration since the account’s creation. This approach allows YouTube to make age assessments independently of the birthdate provided by the user in their profile, helping to prevent underage users from misrepresenting their age.
James Beser, YouTube’s director of product management, explained in a blog post that the system will apply additional content safeguards for users identified as younger than 18. Among these measures are the disabling of personalized advertising and restrictions on repetitive viewing of specific content categories that could be harmful.
If the AI incorrectly estimates a user’s age, YouTube provides the option for users to correct the error by submitting valid government-issued identification.
Protecting Teens from Harmful Content
“YouTube will only permit users who have been inferred or verified as over 18 to access age-restricted content that may be inappropriate for younger audiences,” the company stated. This age-appropriate content control aims to create a safer digital environment for teens while maintaining compliance with online privacy and child protection regulations.
This move builds on earlier YouTube safety features, such as supervised accounts that allow parents to monitor and control their children’s YouTube consumption more closely.
Context and Industry Perspective
YouTube remains the most popular social media platform among teens, with a recent Pew Research Center survey revealing that 90% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 used YouTube in the past year, compared to 63% for TikTok. This widespread usage underscores the importance of robust safety measures for younger users.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan initially unveiled plans for this age-estimation tool in February. Since then, the platform has increasingly leveraged AI to identify and remove harmful content. However, The New York Times reported that since the beginning of President Trump’s second term in January, YouTube has shifted some of its policies to prioritize “freedom of expression” alongside user safety.
Rollout Plans and Future Outlook
YouTube plans to pilot the age-detection feature in the coming weeks with a select group of U.S.-based users before expanding it to a broader audience. According to the company, the technology has already been successfully implemented in other international markets, though specific locations have not been disclosed.
As digital platforms continue to integrate AI-driven solutions to safeguard young users, YouTube’s new technology represents a notable advancement in age verification and content moderation on one of the world’s largest video-sharing services.
For more technology and social media updates, stay tuned to CBS News.
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Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch, with experience across CBSNews.com and the CBS News Associate Program.
Anne Marie D. Lee is an editor for CBS MoneyWatch, specializing in personal finance, workplace, travel, and social media topics.
