What’s All the Fuss About...
YouTube age checks
Google’s video-streaming service has introduced AI-powered age verification – but users aren’t impressed
What are they?
Google-owned YouTube has started asking users in the US to prove their age before allowing them to watch certain video content. It’s not just a basic ‘click to confirm’ pop-up, either. The company has introduced an advanced AI-based age-estimation system that attempts to establish how old you are, based on your account data, viewing history and more.
How do they work?
If you try to watch a restricted video, YouTube will use machine-learning tools to attempt to determine whether or not you are over 18, based on its interpretation of various factors. These include which videos you’ve viewed in the past, the types of videos you have previously searched for and how long you’ve had the account for.