YouTube Plans to Use AI to Detect If US Viewers Are Under 18

Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube will soon begin using artificial intelligence to determine whether viewers in the US are under the age of 18, following increased pressure on the biggest tech companies to strengthen online safety for children.

In a blog post Tuesday, the company said it will leverage AI to “interpret a variety of signals” including a user’s video searches, the categories of content they typically watch and the longevity of their YouTube account to estimate their age. For users believed to be under age 18, YouTube will automatically apply its standard protections for teen accounts.

“This will happen regardless of the birth date you entered when creating your account,” the company said in a help page that covers the forthcoming test. “We’ve used this approach in other markets for some time, where it is working well and we are now gradually rolling it out to the US.” The US test is set to begin Aug. 13 and will initially be limited to “a small set of users.”

The tech industry is adapting to age-check legislation enacted in several US states and other countries requiring platforms to authenticate users’ ages to shield children from harmful content including pornography. Child-safety advocates say that holding tech companies responsible for age verification is key to creating a safer online experience for minors.

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At YouTube, when the system determines that a user is under 18, the platform will activate teen account safeguards such as non-personalized ads, “take a break” notifications, privacy reminders and a reduction in recommendations for “content that could be problematic if viewed in repetition.”

In cases where the AI age estimation model gets it wrong, users can verify their real age with a government ID, credit card or by uploading a selfie, the company said. “We will only allow users who have been inferred or verified as over 18 to view age-restricted content that may be inappropriate for younger users,” James Beser, director of product management for YouTube Kids and Youth, wrote in the blog post.

YouTube cautioned that some creators on the platform may observe a shift in their teen audience and a subsequent decrease in ad revenue, but said it estimated “limited impact for most creators.”

Read More: Pornhub Suspends Site in France to Protest Age Verification Law

In February, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan outlined the company’s plans to make greater use of AI — including for age estimation. Creators can also take advantage of features like auto dubbing between languages or use AI tools to help brainstorm video titles or image thumbnails.

YouTube said it will “closely monitor” the age estimation analysis before rolling it out more widely.

--With assistance from Emily Birnbaum.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Chris Welch in New York at cwelch78@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Mark Gurman at mgurman1@bloomberg.net

Michael Shepard, Jeff Stone

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