Heads up, YouTube fans! Starting this Wednesday, YouTube is testing an AI-powered age verification system in the U.S. to help distinguish minors from adults based on their watch history. 🤖🎥
The new feature only works when youre logged in and ignores whatever birthdate you entered at sign-up. It uses machine learning to estimate if youre under 18—no more easy date tweaks to sneak into teen-only content!
Flagged as a minor? Youll get YouTubes usual safety toolkit: break reminders, privacy warnings, restricted recommendations, and no personalized ads. Time for a screen break, yall! ⏱️✋
If AI gets it wrong, just verify your age with a government-issued ID, a credit card, or a quick selfie. 📸✅ Easy fix!
Unsigned viewers can still watch without logging in, but some content will be blocked until age is confirmed. Its YouTubes way of balancing safety and privacy for younger audiences.
Why now? Political pressure increased after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law demanding porn sites verify user ages. 🍿⚖️ Platforms are scrambling to improve their checks.
Not everyones thrilled: groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy & Technology warn these measures could clash with privacy and free speech rights. 🛡️✍️
Whether youre a news buff, a digital rights advocate, or just curious about AI, this experiment could reshape our online viewing experience. Stay tuned! 🌐✨
Reference(s):
YouTube testing a new AI-powered age verification system in the U.S.
cgtn.com
