YouTube has recently introduced an AI age verification system that is causing some issues for users in certain regions. This system is meant to restrict access to certain content for users under 18, as well as enable Digital Wellbeing tools by default. However, there have been reports of the YouTube age verification system mistakenly flagging adult accounts as minors.
Several users have taken to Reddit to express their frustration with being falsely categorized as children by YouTube’s age verification system. Despite their claims of being over 18 or even 21 years old, the platform continues to label them as minors. This results in a warning message informing the user that their settings have been changed due to the inability to verify their age as an adult.
In order to rectify this issue, users who have been wrongly flagged as minors will need to manually reverify their age using an ID, credit card, or selfie. While YouTube’s intentions behind this age verification system are commendable in terms of protecting minors from inappropriate content, the inaccuracies in flagging adult accounts are causing inconvenience for many users.
It is worth noting that the YouTube AI age verification system is currently being rolled out in select regions such as the US, UK, and some EU countries. Additionally, Google employs a similar age verification system for the Play Store when downloading certain apps, with the option to verify through a third-party service. However, this alternative verification method is not yet available for YouTube users.
In conclusion, the YouTube AI age verification system may need some fine-tuning to accurately differentiate between adult and minor accounts. Until then, users affected by the system’s inaccuracies will need to go through the manual age verification process to regain full access to their accounts.