YouTube Introduces New AI Technology to Identify Teen Users and Enhance Safety
By Mary Cunningham, CBS MoneyWatch
July 29, 2025
YouTube announced Tuesday the upcoming launch of an advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-powered technology designed to identify users under the age of 18. The new feature aims to better protect teenagers, especially young teens, from exposure to harmful or inappropriate content on the popular video-sharing platform.
How the Age-Estimation Technology Works
According to James Beser, YouTube’s director of product management, the AI tool estimates a user’s age by analyzing various behavioral signals. This includes the types and categories of videos they watch, the duration for which they have held their account, and usage patterns. Importantly, the technology does not solely rely on the birthday information provided by users, which can sometimes be inaccurate or falsified.
If the system infers that a user is under 18, YouTube will activate additional protections. These measures include disabling personalized advertising targeted at minors and limiting repetitive exposure to certain types of content that could be harmful. The company emphasizes that users who are mistakenly identified as teens can verify their correct age by submitting a valid form of identification.
"YouTube will only allow users who have been inferred or verified as over 18 to access age-restricted content that could be inappropriate for younger audiences," the company stated in a blog post.
Background and Broader Context
This announcement builds on a broader effort by YouTube to enhance safety controls, particularly for its large teen user base. A recent Pew Research Center survey highlighted YouTube as the most popular social media platform among teenagers aged 13 to 17, with 90% of teens reporting last year that they used YouTube regularly—significantly higher than the 63% who reported using TikTok.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan had initially introduced the concept of age-detection AI technology earlier this year, in February. The new age-estimation system complements existing safety tools such as supervised accounts, which allow parents to monitor and manage their children’s YouTube experiences more closely.
The platform has also increasingly utilized AI to detect and remove content deemed harmful. However, some reports, including one from The New York Times, suggest that YouTube’s content policy has shifted in recent years, placing greater emphasis on "freedom of expression," particularly since the beginning of President Trump’s second term in January.
Testing and Future Rollout
YouTube plans to begin testing this AI-driven age-detection technology in the coming weeks with a small group of users in the United States. The company confirmed on its blog that the tool is already in use in other international markets with positive results, though it did not specify which countries.
Google, YouTube’s parent company, has not yet provided an official comment on this new development.
Implications for Teen Safety Online
With teenagers making up a substantial portion of its user base, YouTube’s implementation of the AI age-estimation tool marks a significant step toward improving the digital environment for younger users. By more accurately identifying teens, YouTube can tailor content restrictions and ad experiences to minimize exposure to inappropriate material and potential exploitation.
As the platform enters its third decade, innovations such as this AI technology signify YouTube’s evolving approach to balancing user engagement with responsibility—endeavoring to create a safer online community for users of all ages.
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