YouTube is Rolling Out A New Controversial Feature

YouTube is officially testing a new age verification feature in the United States, attempting to estimate the ages of users regardless of the account’s listed birthdate. Online safety has been a hot-button issue throughout recent months, with many developers and platforms looking to implement more strict age verification software. Several platforms like Discord and Xbox have already begun to roll out new ways to confirm a user’s age, with many using AI to distinguish a person’s age from their photos. Now, YouTube is the next domino to fall in the growing trend.

Age verification and the increased push for online safety for children has hit a fever pitch in recent weeks, partly owing to a new law pushed in the United Kingdom. The “Online Safety Act” officially kicked into action earlier this month, with everything from adult content to horror games being restricted within the region. Steam has even taken this push a step further, with the platform delisting over 100 horror and adult-themed games from the online marketplace. YouTube is now becoming the newest platform to push age verification, though not in the UK.

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YouTube Testing New Age Verification Feature

As reported by Dexerto, YouTube has now begun to roll out its own age verification process in the United States. The Google-owned video platform will now begin to estimate the ages of users using a variety of information, ranging from YouTube activity to the account’s creation date. YouTube’s new policy has the capability to automatically restrict accounts it believes to be underage, with users able to verify their own age using a government-issued ID, a photo, or a credit card. YouTube has already acknowledged that many fans believe the age estimation function will not be accurate.

YouTube’s new age verification program has already seen significant backlash from fans, particularly towards the verification methods. While YouTube confirmed the system was already in place within other regions, some users have expressed uncertainty about submitting their official government documents to Google. The change likely will not bend to pushback from users either, with the UK’s Online Safety Act likely remaining in place despite surveys amassing over 350,000 signatures calling for its repeal.

Online safety measures from both individual platforms and local governments will likely continue, though fans have begun to find ways to exploit the system. Some users based in the UK discovered that Death Stranding‘s photo mode could be used to bypass the systems, with the verification falsely recognizing screenshots as real photos. Many have also suggested VPNs are an effective workaround for age verification systems, allowing users to change their connection to a region lacking the features. The battle for online safety for younger users will likely continue to rage on as more companies become involved in the controversial trend.