Alphabet Deploys AI-Powered Age Verification on YouTube in Canada
Alphabet, Google's parent company, has announced that it will begin using age verification technology to identify underage users in Canada. The technology employs artificial intelligence (AI) to detect underage users and will be used on platforms such as YouTube.
The move comes in response to Canada's government implementing age restrictions for social media use in the country. Alphabet says its age estimation model uses machine learning to interpret signals associated with a user's account, including search history and video categories watched on YouTube.
If the technology identifies someone as underage, their Google account will be changed to include protections such as safeguards on content that can be viewed. If an adult is mistakenly identified as being under 18, they will be able to prove their real age using government identification.
This move comes after rival Meta Platforms began using AI to identify underage users in Canada and has promised to implement child protection measures as part of a legal settlement in the US.