YouTube Introduces Age Verification Using Artificial Intelligence Next Week
In a bid to protect minors and enforce age-appropriate content restrictions, YouTube has rolled out a new AI-assisted age verification system in the United States. The system, currently in a limited testing phase, is designed to analyse users' video-watching habits to estimate their ages more accurately than relying solely on self-reported birthdates.
The system works by analysing patterns in the types of videos a user is searching for, categories of videos they have watched, and the longevity of the account. If the AI suspects a user is under 18, it activates youth protection measures such as non-personalized ads, break reminders, privacy alerts, and restricted content recommendations. Users flagged as minors can verify their age with government ID, credit cards, or selfies to regain full access.
YouTube's Director of Product Management with YouTube Youth, James Beser, announced the new system in a blog post. The company emphasises balancing child safety and privacy, allowing appeals via alternative verification methods, which helps mitigate false positives. However, the system’s accuracy depends on behavioural analysis, which may have inherent limits in precisely identifying age but is strengthened by requiring official documentation for override.
While the effectiveness and accuracy of the system are still being evaluated, the AI has been reported to work well in other markets. It remains unclear when or if YouTube will expand this AI verification globally or beyond the U.S. testing group.
Samir Jain, vice president of policy at the nonprofit Center for Democracy & Technology, has raised concerns about the new system. He stated that age verification requirements raise serious privacy and free expression concerns. Jain also mentioned the potential for age verification tools to upend access to First Amendment-protected speech on the internet for everyone, children and adults alike.
As generative AI gets more sophisticated, so will the ability to work around age verification tools. Users have already started using VPNs to get around the age verification law. This underscores the need for continuous improvement and refinement of these systems to maintain their effectiveness.
Users must confirm they are 16+ and agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy to sign up for YouTube's weekly Trend Report newsletter. The system will be rolled out to a small set of users in the US first, before being rolled out more widely.
[1] YouTube Blog Post: https://youtube-global.com/blog/new-ai-powered-age-verification-system/ [2] The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/10/22627015/youtube-ai-age-verification-system-us-test [4] TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/10/youtube-ai-age-verification-system-us-test/ [5] Center for Democracy & Technology: https://cdt.org/insight/youtube-age-verification-raises-serious-privacy-and-free-expression-concerns/
- The new AI-assisted age verification system on YouTube, currently being tested, uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze users' video-watching habits for age estimation.
- Google-owned YouTube has implemented new age verification measures, including a system that utilizes technology and artificial intelligence to restrict access to inappropriate content for minors.
- technology, specifically artificial intelligence, plays a significant role in the ongoing efforts of platforms like YouTube to enforce age-appropriate content restrictions and ensure child safety online.
- Stakeholders have expressed concerns over the new system, as age verification requirements may potentially impact privacy and free expression on the internet, as stated by Samir Jain, vice president of policy at the nonprofit Center for Democracy & Technology.
- While technology companies continue to develop AI-based solutions to combat problems like age verification, the ability for users to work around these systems by using technology such as VPNs underscores the importance of regularly refining and improving these safeguards in order to maintain their effectiveness.
