• YouTube introduces AI to detect minors pretending to be adults.
• The AI will evaluate user behavior to estimate age for content protection.
• Australia plans to ban users under 16 from accessing YouTube.
• New age verification methods include credit card and government ID checks.
• Legislation to enforce these measures is closely followed by other countries.

YouTube has started implementing artificial intelligence (AI) to identify children who are posing as adults on its video-sharing platform, responding to increasing pressure to safeguard minors from inappropriate content. This initiative is being initiated in the United States amidst wider scrutiny on platforms like Instagram and TikTok regarding their responsibility in protecting children from adult-oriented content, as highlighted by Bangkok Post and The Jakarta Post.

The technology employed by YouTube involves a form of machine learning aimed at estimating the age of users by analyzing various factors, such as the types of videos they watch and the duration of their accounts. James Beser, YouTube’s Youth director of product management, stated, “This technology will allow us to infer a user’s age and then use that signal... to deliver our age-appropriate product experiences and protections.” This advanced model enhances existing measures designed to determine user age on the platform, according to Dawn and Dawn.

If YouTube's system suspects that a user is a minor, they will receive a notification informing them, along with options to verify their age, which may include using a credit card, a selfie, or a government-issued ID. This measure is critical as social media platforms frequently face allegations of failing to provide adequate protection for children, as reported by The Jakarta Post and Bangkok Post.