YouTube’s AI age verification restricts millions of accounts flagged as <18

YouTube has significantly expanded its AI-powered age verification system this week, with numerous users reporting their accounts have been restricted after being flagged as potentially under 18. The widespread rollout marks a major escalation from the limited testing that began in August, as Google leverages artificial intelligence to enforce stricter content controls for younger viewers.

What you should know: YouTube’s AI system analyzes account activity and longevity to estimate user age, automatically imposing restrictions on accounts it believes belong to minors.

• The age estimation model uses “a variety of signals such as YouTube activity and longevity of the account,” according to YouTube’s explanation.
• Users flagged as under 18 receive notifications and can verify their actual age through government ID, selfie verification, or credit card confirmation.
• The system represents YouTube’s most aggressive attempt yet to automatically identify and restrict underage users across its platform.

The big picture: What started as a “small group” pilot program in July has rapidly evolved into a platform-wide enforcement mechanism affecting users who may have had accounts for years.

• The rollout began in mid-August but accelerated dramatically over the past 24 hours, with Reddit’s r/youtube showing numerous restriction reports dating back roughly one day from September 24.
• Prior to this recent surge, very few users had encountered the AI age verification system.

Key restrictions imposed: Accounts flagged as underage face significant limitations designed to create a more controlled viewing environment.

• Age-restricted videos are completely blocked.
• Video recommendations are adjusted to minimize “videos with content that could be problematic if viewed in repetition.”
• Personalized advertising is disabled.
• Digital wellbeing tools like “take a break” reminders are enabled by default.
• Privacy reminders appear when uploading videos or commenting.
• Video uploads default to private settings.
• Creators lose the ability to earn “gifts” on vertical live streams.

How verification works: Users who believe they’ve been incorrectly flagged have multiple options to prove their age.

• Government-issued ID verification.
• Selfie-based age verification.
• Credit card confirmation (for users over 18).
• The verification process is available through both mobile apps and web browsers.

Why this matters: The expansion reflects YouTube’s increasing reliance on AI systems to manage content moderation and user safety at scale, potentially affecting millions of users who may need to verify their identity to maintain full platform access.