Google Will Use AI to Determine if You’re Lying About Your Age
Google said it will begin testing a machine learning-driven age estimation model to help determine if users are under 18 years old.
The company is Blog Posts The model is expected to be launched later this year and it intends to provide younger users with “more age-appropriate experiences”. It will be launched first in the United States and expand to more countries.
The announcement is as technology companies face increasing pressure from lawmakers to make the platform safer for younger users. Last year, Yuan Introduced Similar AI models can help determine whether a user is under 18 years old.
Google tells CNET that the estimation model will use machine learning to understand various data points related to user accounts, such as what they are searching for, the categories of videos they are watching, and how long they have been. These signals can help the model better determine whether someone is likely to lie.
If the model mistakenly tags an account under 18, the user can provide age verification in the form of a government-issued ID, credit card, or selfie. Google says it is also looking at other ways people can verify age.
Other companies have used this method For example,in various markets including Europe.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan mentions the company’s published machine learning tools Priorities for 2025noting that the company plans to continue to “responsibly leverage the power of AI to enhance everyone’s YouTube experience.”
The company has also added a few safeguards for underage accounts, such as filtering or obscure explicit searches and limiting sensitive content that may not be appropriate on AD and YouTube.
Meanwhile, a new feature called Android phones and tablets will allow parents to limit or restrict access to apps during class hours. Other upcoming changes include making it easier for parents to manage their children’s online experiences through Android and Chrome devices Google Family Linksand the ability to “click to pay” for Android phones with parental consent.
