YouTube's AI Age Verification System Draws User Backlash

Published Date : 8/14/2025 

A Change.org petition with nearly 100,000 signatures is calling for YouTube to halt its AI-based age assurance system, which uses machine learning to estimate user ages based on watch history and behavior. 

In the U.S., a growing campaign is objecting to YouTube’s automated age assurance system, which employs machine learning algorithms to gauge user age based on a variety of signals. According to a blog post from the company, these signals include the types of videos a user searches for, the categories of videos they have watched, and the longevity of the account.

There are now nearly 100,000 signatures on a Change.org petition calling for YouTube to pull the plug on the system. The petition argues that the system 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is YouTube's automated age assurance system?

A: YouTube's automated age assurance system uses machine learning algorithms to estimate a user's age based on their watch history, search behavior, and account longevity.

Q: Why are users protesting against this system?

A: Users are protesting because they believe the system violates their privacy by analyzing their watch history and behavior to estimate their age, potentially overriding the age they have set on their account.

Q: What happens if the system identifies a user as underage?

A: If the system identifies a user as underage, they will be locked out of certain content unless they verify their age using a government-issued ID or other methods.

Q: What protections are applied to identified teen users?

A: Identified teen users have personalized ads disabled, digital wellbeing tools turned on, and other safeguards like limiting repetitive views of certain content.

Q: How can users verify they are 18 or over?

A: Users can verify they are 18 or over by using a credit card or a government ID to lift the age restrictions applied by the system. 

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