
Google is using AI age checks to lock down user accounts
Emma Roth
created: July 30, 2025, 5:20 p.m. | updated: July 31, 2025, 10:54 a.m.
Google will soon cast an even wider net with its AI age estimation technology.
After announcing plans to find and restrict underage users on YouTube, the company now says it will start detecting whether Google users based in the US are under 18.
The company says it will use the information a user has searched for or the types of YouTube videos they watch to determine their age.
If Google believes that a user is under 18, it will apply the same restrictions it places on users who proactively identify as underage.
In case Google incorrectly identifies someone as under 18, users can submit a photo of their government ID or a selfie to verify their age.
3 weeks, 3 days ago: The Verge