YouTube is introducing a machine learning-powered age-estimation feature in the US to better protect teen users on its platform. This AI-based system determines a viewer’s likely age without collecting personal information and helps enforce content restrictions and disable features like personalised advertising. Importantly, it can still apply protections even when users enter incorrect birthdates to bypass age limits. The technology has already been used in other regions and aims to ensure a safer experience for younger audiences.
In the U.S., we’ll begin using AI to interpret a variety of signals that help us to determine whether a user is over or under 18. These signals include:
– The types of videos a user is searching for
– The categories of videos they have watched
– The longevity of the account… https://t.co/q2sPpWc4bU
— Updates From YouTube (@UpdatesFromYT) July 29, 2025
The feature is currently limited to a group of users in the US. According to a blog post, the system is designed to infer a user’s age without collecting personal data, using machine learning signals instead. This approach aims to protect young viewers while preserving user privacy.
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Once an account is identified as belonging to a teenager, YouTube will automatically activate its digital wellbeing features. These include limiting repetitive views of content related to weight and physical appearance, turning off personalised advertising, and restricting certain types of videos from being recommended. The platform hopes this will help create a safer, healthier environment for teens.
YouTube is going to start using AI to determine whether US viewers are over or under the age of 18
The rollout starts August 13 pic.twitter.com/zUV1py34iw
— Culture Crave (@CultureCrave) July 30, 2025
YouTube also acknowledges that AI age estimation isn’t perfect. If an adult is mistakenly flagged as a teenager, they will have the option to verify their age using a government-issued ID or a credit card. Once verified, their account will be restored to adult status, and previously restricted content, such as Shorts or age-limited videos, will become accessible again.
This new feature follows YouTube CEO Neal Mohan’s announcement in February 2025, where he hinted at smarter protections for younger users. It builds upon past initiatives like supervised accounts and broader content restrictions introduced in September 2024, as part of YouTube’s ongoing mission to make the platform safer for minors.
YouTube has confirmed that this AI-based system will expand globally over time, starting with the US. As concerns grow over teen mental health and online exposure, the platform is ramping up efforts to strike a balance between content access and digital safety using advanced machine learning tools.
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