Starting today, August 13, 2025, YouTube is introducing a new AI-powered system in the U.S. that estimates whether users are under 18 no matter what birthdate you entered when signing up. The system looks at factors like your viewing habits, search history, and how long your account has been active to make its guess.
If the AI flags you as a teen, you’ll get a notification and YouTube will automatically switch on age-appropriate features. That means only non-personalized ads, digital wellbeing tools like “take a break” and bedtime reminders, privacy nudges when you comment or upload, and softer recommendations to reduce potentially harmful content. You also won’t be able to access age-restricted videos unless you verify your age.
If you think the system got it wrong, there’s an easy fix — you can verify your age using a government-issued ID, a selfie, or a credit card. YouTube stresses submission isn’t mandatory and that you’ll keep the protections in place if you opt out.
So why the push now? Platforms like YouTube are under growing political and regulatory pressure to better protect minors online. This launch follows promises made back in February and expanded with a blog post from Product Director James Beser who said YouTube is using machine learning in the U.S. to distinguish between teens and adults, regardless of what your profile says. This feature has already been working successfully in other markets.
Still, some users are pushing back. A Reddit thread captured frustration like this: “I let my cousins’ kids watch some of their shows when I’m babysitting them, and I don’t care to give my ID to YouTube, especially since I have had a Google account for like 20 odd years now.
