YouTube will start using AI to guess your age.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/13/tech/youtube-ai-age-verification

236 points · 76 comments · view on lemmy.world

76 Comments

supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz · 94 pts · 321d (7 replies)

This is one of the dumbest ideas I have ever heard in my life.

In particular if I am online and neurotypical toxic people are thrown off by my ADHD, the VERY FIRST THING they do in their intellectual laziness is assume I am a kid.

The idea that this isn't considered an explicit oppression of neurodivergent adults is laughable to me. These systems will police for neurodivergence, not age. The obvious response from the center will be "just don't act like a kid then" and I would like to send a pre-emptive "go fuck yourself you are destroying everything" to those people.

tonyn@lemmy.ml · 16 pts · 321d (3 replies)

If I were an AI guessing your age based on this comment... I would estimate your age to be somewhere in the 25-35 range.

supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz · 24 pts · 321d (2 replies)

If I were an AI guessing your age based on this comment... I would estimate your age to be somewhere in the 9-9000 range.

hello_cruel_world@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 321d

Good thing I'm a potato then. Good luck guessing my age!

MrLLM@ani.social · 3 pts · 321d

You guys are taking my job again!

webghost0101@sopuli.xyz · 8 pts · 321d

I am autistic and like 60% of my watchtime is Minecraft smp.

I no longer have an account to proof my age, i download subscriptions using yt-dlp

I hope all the advanced science videos i am downloading somehow balance it out.

chuckles i am in line to get oppressed.

dabaldeagul@feddit.nl · 4 pts · 321d

I am autistic and have ADHD (inattentive, aka ADD), and when I was 13 people estimated my age in the mid 40s lmao

And yeah now I'm the opposite, feeling more free to just ramble and stuff, without spending tons upon tons of energy to keep my attention with the conversation. So will I spend 50% of my time making points completely irrelevant to the conversation? Yeah. But I'm happier for it :)

prex@aussie.zone · 0 pts · 321d

You were on 69 upvotes. Sorry for making that 70.

Fandangalo@lemmy.world · 40 pts · 321d (5 replies)

Accounts used by multiple people enter the room.

By kids often use my account on our shared family TV. We have adults in 30s/40s, early teens, and toddlers all using YouTube for different things.

This is a stupid idea.

DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 321d (2 replies)

I don't think big corp wants you account sharing. "Violates ToS" they say.

Fandangalo@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 321d

I don’t want ScreamingMinecraftYoutuber67 on my watch history, and yet, it’ll be there tomorrow morning.

/s

foggenbooty@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 321d

I don't want account sharing either, except theres things like Google homes where you can't sign in with more than one account. People sharing the same account in a TV aren't trying to, it's just the natural way they use it.

neclimdul@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 321d

👋

hello_cruel_world@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 321d
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WanderingThoughts@europe.pub · 31 pts · 321d (4 replies)

Youtube doesn't have the best history for this. One channel makes stop motion animations and showcases Transformers. It got marked as a children's channel. The channel went on to showcase Transformers doing lewd acts.

IndiBrony@lemmy.world · 24 pts · 321d (1 reply)

It annoys the shit out of me that they never made the "kids" section of youtube an entirely separate thing.

Like TV, they could curate the hell out of it and not just allow anyone to upload, but no, they instead made way too much money from elsagate videos and videos of kids swimming. Now that that's gone, it's now making money off of kids from AI slop.

JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz · 3 pts · 321d

It annoys the shit out of me that they never made the “kids” section of youtube an entirely separate thing.

That's exactly what they did. Ten years ago.
It's just that the FTC and COPPA force them to also mark anything that gets uploaded to regular Youtube and is "targeting" kids as such, because they aren't allowed to collect data from anyone under the age of 13.

JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz · 4 pts · 321d

Yeah, at one point Youtube in their wisdom decided that toys are for kids, so anything to do with them got forcefully marked as "for kids". I remember many LEGO and RC channels have issues with it. And having your video or channel marked as "for kids" disables 90% of Youtube features - comments, likes, notifications, saving videos to playlists or watch later, end cards etc.

Even then, Youtube basically has only two age ratings - either the content is suitable for everyone (but you do have to mark if it is specifically aimed at kids under 13), or it's age-restricted to adults only. Imagine if movies only had the options of "G" or "NC-17". But eh, in the end it is FTC and COPPA telling them what they have to do. The alternative is that you'd have to create an account and somehow age-verify that you are over the age of 13 before Youtube was allowed to show any videos.

pleaseletmein@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 320d

I remember when they first rolled out the “made for kids” video designation, “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared” (a horror video) was labeled as children’s content by the AI until enough actual users had pointed out the error on Twitter.

db2@lemmy.world · 27 pts · 321d (5 replies)

I've never made a single comment or video post so good luck.

tidderuuf@lemmy.world · 64 pts · 321d (3 replies)

I watch a lot of gun videos on YouTube so they will probably assume I'm in high school.

acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 321d (1 reply)

or you’re about to go to a high school very soon!

PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 321d

This comment has me in critical condition.

kaitco@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 321d

Oof!

pineapplelover@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 321d

They will base it on the stuff you consume. Like 90% of people online lurk and don't comment anything

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 23 pts · 321d

Cool, they poison their own tracking data.

MrSulu@lemmy.ml · 22 pts · 321d (2 replies)

The highly sophisticated and clever AI has already brilliantly identified several underaged people who have youtube or associated gmail accounts that are older than the minimum age.

jj4211@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 320d (1 reply)

Nah, google accounts are a recent thing, no way can that be a thing... Can it?

Oh hell I'm old...

ErmahgherdDavid@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 320d

My Gmail account is old enough to buy drinks in a bar in the US (21)

Pro@programming.dev · 22 pts · 321d
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Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 21 pts · 321d (3 replies)

I assume they already did this for advertising purposes, just like every other platform trying to guess your demographics to sell you more useless shit.

lemmyknow@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 320d (2 replies)

And that's not just a win for companies. The fact that my metadata is out there is great for me as a user. Like with targeted ads -- I get tons of coupons from cool restaurants.

isVeryLoud@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 320d (1 reply)

Can't tell if /s

lemmyknow@lemmy.today · 3 pts · 320d

It's a direct quote from when Sascha Kemmis-Powers visited Smart Pipe

wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 15 pts · 321d (1 reply)

I mean, I've heard of other sites using info like having a saved payment card in your own name, or the age of the account itself to know that the user is over 18 without needing ID.

But this is Google, they want to flex their analytics and get as much additional info on everyone as they can.

gary@piefed.world · 7 pts · 321d

This was literally the first thing that came to mind. So many people have android phones with cards already linked to google, paying for YouTube premium would do the same thing. But nope, Skynet is the better way to do it

joelfromaus@aussie.zone · 15 pts · 321d (2 replies)

YouTube popup: What is Tik Tok?

User: A song by Kesha.

YouTube: Alright, let ‘em through.

Raiderkev@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 321d

False, that song is clearly by Ke*$*ha

JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 321d
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Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 321d (4 replies)

How long before a certain orange moron starts complaining that it keeps thinking he's 13 for some reason?

lemmyknow@lemmy.today · 0 pts · 320d (3 replies)

Damn, y'all really can't think 'bout nu'in else, innit?

Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 320d (2 replies)

Jokes are jokes. Guy wants to be in the spotlight, jokes on him, right?

lemmyknow@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 320d (1 reply)

I just find it kinda weird and annoying how y'all can turn unrelated topics into US news and politics. As someone who has never set foot there, I know way more than I need to about it because of how widespread your news and politics are, and how much it comes my way even when unrelated to the topic at hand.

Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 319d

You're right. It's even worse when you're within the US because it just doesn't stop. It's rather arrogant of me to disregard other nationalities here and I'll make more of an effort. I made a related joke in a space sub once and they were less than enthusiastic (to say the least).

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca · 14 pts · 321d (2 replies)

I am almost 70 and my wife and have a great time confusing the AI targeted ads. I get tampon ads she gets men’s diaper ads. We never know what we are going to get since we are always feeding misinformation into our phones.

prex@aussie.zone · 4 pts · 321d (1 reply)

Same same but different here. This algorithm was meant to know my wants better than me but all I get is ads for credit cards, adult diapers & hoodies.

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 321d

Spruce things up a bit. Talk in front front of your phone and say how much you always wanted a pet zebra or you want an auto car wash for your house. Stuff like that.

phutatorius@lemmy.zip · 13 pts · 320d (4 replies)

They'll be counting the wrinkies on my asshole.

lemmyknow@lemmy.today · 5 pts · 320d (2 replies)

When you log into YouTube, a patented recog device does read your anus to confirm your identity. Its CCDs convert light into text-based codes, which represent your unique fingerprint of anal terrain.

prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 313d (1 reply)

In an alternate universe you wedge your iScan device into your butt cheeks so it maintains constant positive biometric contact with you as your token for authentication.

Your passcode plus biometric scan.

lemmyknow@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 313d

I present to you the future: smart pipe

bhamlin@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 320d

And y'all made fun of me for putting sunscreen on my asshole!

Bonifratz@sh.itjust.works · 10 pts · 321d (2 replies)

I think my account is around 18 years old so let's see what the AI thinks.

Blackfeathr@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 321d

Yep I've had my account since 2006. It's old enough to vote.

JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 321d
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UncleGrandPa@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 320d

Start peppering your responses with archaic terms and slang.... Confuse the hell out of them

veeesix@lemmy.ca · 9 pts · 321d (3 replies)

I watch plenty of penguinz0, This Old House, Smosh, and lawn care videos. Can’t wait to find out what YouTube makes of that.

crunchy@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 321d

I've got a random living room account that's used for Gen alpha brain rot, 80s R&B music videos, video essays, nature live streams, kids shows, horror stories, and documentaries. good luck.

Kolanaki@pawb.social · 2 pts · 321d

I watch cartoons meant for kids. They're gonna think I'm 7.

aceshigh@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 321d
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datavoid@lemmy.ml · 8 pts · 321d (1 reply)

I always knew my fascination with redstone would come back to bite me

Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 321d

My planned solution is to use a browser on a proxy that clears cookies after closing.

tdawg@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 321d (1 reply)

They already do this. There was a way to check and there may still be. When I checked like 10 years ago it was wrong about everything. Age, hobbies, everything

So good luck yt I guess

SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 321d

https://myadcenter.google.com/controls

It basically nailed everything about me :/

ccunning@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 321d

Is this why Google sent me an email saying they changed my settings and I can scan in my ID if I want to change them back?

Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org · 7 pts · 321d

The have been thoroughly unable to guess my age for the last 18 years.

DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 321d

What if you just play a bunch of home repair videos on the background? 🤔

SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 321d (2 replies)

They wouldn't restrict access to information based on your perceived age, would they?

brsrklf@jlai.lu · 7 pts · 321d (1 reply)

I am guessing this is a rethorical question, but, they already forcibly flag videos as "made for kids" against the creators' will (and despite very clear audience statistics proving it's not).

So yeah, they are totally using their magic 8-ball to restrict your content.

kkj@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 321d

They were sometimes restricting videos for swearing or mentioning mature topics while being "made for kids" even though the videos were clearly not for kids.

HubertManne@piefed.social · 5 pts · 321d

Im told the technology can also estimate shoe size and the relative realtion of the two!

trashboat@midwest.social · 3 pts · 321d (2 replies)

I’ve been wondering lately how effective a service would be that takes your credentials for a service, such as YouTube, and starts engaging with content at random so that the data the service has on you is all junk

Don’t know how meaningful something like this would even be, but if all these companies are gonna try so hard to collect data on me then I’d rather fill that data with useless junk

Nightlight17776@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 321d (1 reply)

With all the data they collect I wish they would target me with the right ads. I don't want an AI girlfriend, to buy a toyota in spanish, or comemeritive trump merch

Kolanaki@pawb.social · 3 pts · 321d

Using an ad blocker I get nothing but the types of ads I wanna see; Which is none at all. 😌

altphoto@lemmy.today · 3 pts · 321d

Search.... Sponge Bob Ross hand painting practice.

JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz · 3 pts · 321d (2 replies)

It's going to be really hilarious if my account gets flagged by the AI.
I made it in 2004, it's old enough to drink.

aceshigh@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 321d (1 reply)

The account is, but it doesn’t say anything about the person using it.

jnod4@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 321d

Youtube/Google is bowing down to a government that is funding some very negative actions towards children across the ocean. Why aren't they using this AI to solve this? /s

JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 321d
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Wispy2891@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 321d (1 reply)

I'm betting that it's so "intelligent" that will guess underage even if the Google account was opened in 2004

boonhet@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 320d

IIRC that is one parameter they actually mentioned taking into account.

I guess my 2006 or 2007 or whatever YouTube account (which, yes, I later connected with my Google account - not all that much later, in fact) will perhaps qualify me for adult-only content finally.

nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 321d
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vodkasolution@feddit.it · 1 pts · 321d

The day it starts I'm gonna upload a bunch of old videos in a playlist, looking to monetize