YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. (www.cnn.com)
from HelloHotel@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 15:25
https://lemmy.world/post/36550535

#technology

threaded - newest

db2@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 15:30 next collapse

I’ve never made a single comment or video post so good luck.

tidderuuf@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 15:37 next collapse

I watch a lot of gun videos on YouTube so they will probably assume I’m in high school.

kaitco@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 15:54 next collapse

Oof!

acosmichippo@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 17:15 collapse

or you’re about to go to a high school very soon!

PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca on 27 Sep 20:54 collapse

This comment has me in critical condition.

pineapplelover@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 27 Sep 21:37 collapse

They will base it on the stuff you consume. Like 90% of people online lurk and don’t comment anything

supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz on 27 Sep 15:31 next collapse

This is one of the dumbest ideas I have ever heard in my life.

In particular if I am online and neurotypical toxic people are thrown off by my ADHD, the VERY FIRST THING they do in their intellectual laziness is assume I am a kid.

The idea that this isn’t considered an explicit oppression of neurodivergent adults is laughable to me. These systems will police for neurodivergence, not age. The obvious response from the center will be “just don’t act like a kid then” and I would like to send a pre-emptive “go fuck yourself you are destroying everything” to those people.

tonyn@lemmy.ml on 27 Sep 17:43 next collapse

If I were an AI guessing your age based on this comment… I would estimate your age to be somewhere in the 25-35 range.

supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz on 27 Sep 18:40 collapse

If I were an AI guessing your age based on this comment… I would estimate your age to be somewhere in the 9-9000 range.

hello_cruel_world@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 01:44 next collapse

Good thing I’m a potato then. Good luck guessing my age!

MrLLM@ani.social on 28 Sep 04:38 collapse

You guys are taking my job again!

dabaldeagul@feddit.nl on 28 Sep 00:54 next collapse

I am autistic and have ADHD (inattentive, aka ADD), and when I was 13 people estimated my age in the mid 40s lmao

And yeah now I’m the opposite, feeling more free to just ramble and stuff, without spending tons upon tons of energy to keep my attention with the conversation. So will I spend 50% of my time making points completely irrelevant to the conversation? Yeah. But I’m happier for it :)

prex@aussie.zone on 28 Sep 01:38 next collapse

You were on 69 upvotes. Sorry for making that 70.

webghost0101@sopuli.xyz on 28 Sep 05:38 collapse

I am autistic and like 60% of my watchtime is Minecraft smp.

I no longer have an account to proof my age, i download subscriptions using yt-dlp

I hope all the advanced science videos i am downloading somehow balance it out.

chuckles i am in line to get oppressed.

tdawg@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 15:49 next collapse

They already do this. There was a way to check and there may still be. When I checked like 10 years ago it was wrong about everything. Age, hobbies, everything

So good luck yt I guess

SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 16:54 collapse

myadcenter.google.com/controls

It basically nailed everything about me :/

ccunning@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 15:50 next collapse

Is this why Google sent me an email saying they changed my settings and I can scan in my ID if I want to change them back?

altphoto@lemmy.today on 27 Sep 15:54 next collapse

Search… Sponge Bob Ross hand painting practice.

wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 27 Sep 15:59 next collapse

I mean, I’ve heard of other sites using info like having a saved payment card in your own name, or the age of the account itself to know that the user is over 18 without needing ID.

But this is Google, they want to flex their analytics and get as much additional info on everyone as they can.

gary@piefed.world on 27 Sep 16:45 collapse

This was literally the first thing that came to mind. So many people have android phones with cards already linked to google, paying for YouTube premium would do the same thing. But nope, Skynet is the better way to do it

datavoid@lemmy.ml on 27 Sep 16:02 next collapse

I always knew my fascination with redstone would come back to bite me

Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 27 Sep 19:40 collapse

My planned solution is to use a browser on a proxy that clears cookies after closing.

WanderingThoughts@europe.pub on 27 Sep 16:15 next collapse

Youtube doesn’t have the best history for this. One channel makes stop motion animations and showcases Transformers. It got marked as a children’s channel. The channel went on to showcase Transformers doing lewd acts.

IndiBrony@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 16:44 next collapse

It annoys the shit out of me that they never made the “kids” section of youtube an entirely separate thing.

Like TV, they could curate the hell out of it and not just allow anyone to upload, but no, they instead made way too much money from elsagate videos and videos of kids swimming. Now that that’s gone, it’s now making money off of kids from AI slop.

JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz on 28 Sep 00:59 collapse

It annoys the shit out of me that they never made the “kids” section of youtube an entirely separate thing.

That’s exactly what they did. Ten years ago.
It’s just that the FTC and COPPA force them to also mark anything that gets uploaded to regular Youtube and is “targeting” kids as such, because they aren’t allowed to collect data from anyone under the age of 13.

JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz on 28 Sep 00:55 next collapse

Yeah, at one point Youtube in their wisdom decided that toys are for kids, so anything to do with them got forcefully marked as “for kids”. I remember many LEGO and RC channels have issues with it. And having your video or channel marked as “for kids” disables 90% of Youtube features - comments, likes, notifications, saving videos to playlists or watch later, end cards etc.

Even then, Youtube basically has only two age ratings - either the content is suitable for everyone (but you do have to mark if it is specifically aimed at kids under 13), or it’s age-restricted to adults only. Imagine if movies only had the options of “G” or “NC-17”. But eh, in the end it is FTC and COPPA telling them what they have to do. The alternative is that you’d have to create an account and somehow age-verify that you are over the age of 13 before Youtube was allowed to show any videos.

pleaseletmein@lemmy.zip on 28 Sep 20:58 collapse

I remember when they first rolled out the “made for kids” video designation, “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared” (a horror video) was labeled as children’s content by the AI until enough actual users had pointed out the error on Twitter.

Fandangalo@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 16:25 next collapse

Accounts used by multiple people enter the room.

By kids often use my account on our shared family TV. We have adults in 30s/40s, early teens, and toddlers all using YouTube for different things.

This is a stupid idea.

neclimdul@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 20:22 next collapse

👋

DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works on 27 Sep 23:57 next collapse

I don’t think big corp wants you account sharing. “Violates ToS” they say.

Fandangalo@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 23:59 next collapse

I don’t want ScreamingMinecraftYoutuber67 on my watch history, and yet, it’ll be there tomorrow morning.

/s

foggenbooty@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 02:05 collapse

I don’t want account sharing either, except theres things like Google homes where you can’t sign in with more than one account. People sharing the same account in a TV aren’t trying to, it’s just the natural way they use it.

[deleted] on 28 Sep 01:49 collapse

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Bonifratz@sh.itjust.works on 27 Sep 16:42 next collapse

I think my account is around 18 years old so let’s see what the AI thinks.

JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 01:48 next collapse

The system relies on signals such as the types of videos a user searches for and watches, and how long their account has been active, to determine whether they are under the age of 18.

Blackfeathr@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 01:50 collapse

Yep I’ve had my account since 2006. It’s old enough to vote.

trashboat@midwest.social on 27 Sep 16:49 next collapse

I’ve been wondering lately how effective a service would be that takes your credentials for a service, such as YouTube, and starts engaging with content at random so that the data the service has on you is all junk

Don’t know how meaningful something like this would even be, but if all these companies are gonna try so hard to collect data on me then I’d rather fill that data with useless junk

Nightlight17776@lemmy.ca on 27 Sep 17:26 collapse

With all the data they collect I wish they would target me with the right ads. I don’t want an AI girlfriend, to buy a toyota in spanish, or comemeritive trump merch

Kolanaki@pawb.social on 27 Sep 21:42 collapse

Using an ad blocker I get nothing but the types of ads I wanna see; Which is none at all. 😌

nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 27 Sep 16:56 next collapse

I didn’t think they needed AI to do this

SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world on 27 Sep 17:11 next collapse

They wouldn’t restrict access to information based on your perceived age, would they?

brsrklf@jlai.lu on 27 Sep 18:06 collapse

I am guessing this is a rethorical question, but, they already forcibly flag videos as “made for kids” against the creators’ will (and despite very clear audience statistics proving it’s not).

So yeah, they are totally using their magic 8-ball to restrict your content.

kkj@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 27 Sep 21:10 collapse

They were sometimes restricting videos for swearing or mentioning mature topics while being “made for kids” even though the videos were clearly not for kids.

veeesix@lemmy.ca on 27 Sep 17:45 next collapse

I watch plenty of penguinz0, This Old House, Smosh, and lawn care videos. Can’t wait to find out what YouTube makes of that.

crunchy@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 27 Sep 19:03 next collapse

I’ve got a random living room account that’s used for Gen alpha brain rot, 80s R&B music videos, video essays, nature live streams, kids shows, horror stories, and documentaries. good luck.

[deleted] on 27 Sep 21:37 next collapse

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Kolanaki@pawb.social on 27 Sep 21:40 collapse

I watch cartoons meant for kids. They’re gonna think I’m 7.

HubertManne@piefed.social on 27 Sep 18:01 next collapse

Im told the technology can also estimate shoe size and the relative realtion of the two!

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip on 27 Sep 18:07 next collapse

Cool, they poison their own tracking data.

Pro@programming.dev on 27 Sep 19:26 next collapse

Article date: Aug 13, 2025.

DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works on 28 Sep 00:00 next collapse

What if you just play a bunch of home repair videos on the background? 🤔

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca on 28 Sep 00:27 next collapse

I am almost 70 and my wife and have a great time confusing the AI targeted ads. I get tampon ads she gets men’s diaper ads. We never know what we are going to get since we are always feeding misinformation into our phones.

prex@aussie.zone on 28 Sep 01:29 collapse

Same same but different here. This algorithm was meant to know my wants better than me but all I get is ads for credit cards, adult diapers & hoodies.

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca on 28 Sep 01:35 collapse

Spruce things up a bit. Talk in front front of your phone and say how much you always wanted a pet zebra or you want an auto car wash for your house. Stuff like that.

JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz on 28 Sep 01:05 next collapse

It’s going to be really hilarious if my account gets flagged by the AI.
I made it in 2004, it’s old enough to drink.

aceshigh@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 01:15 collapse

The account is, but it doesn’t say anything about the person using it.

jnod4@lemmy.ca on 28 Sep 01:47 collapse

Youtube/Google is bowing down to a government that is funding some very negative actions towards children across the ocean. Why aren’t they using this AI to solve this? /s

joelfromaus@aussie.zone on 28 Sep 01:09 next collapse

YouTube popup: What is Tik Tok?

User: A song by Kesha.

YouTube: Alright, let ‘em through.

JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 01:49 next collapse

Pfft, everyone knows it the Ukrainian entry in Moscow Eurovision (the one with the hamster wheel).

Raiderkev@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 05:50 collapse

False, that song is clearly by Ke*$*ha

vodkasolution@feddit.it on 28 Sep 01:11 next collapse

The day it starts I’m gonna upload a bunch of old videos in a playlist, looking to monetize

JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 01:47 next collapse

The system relies on signals such as the types of videos a user searches for and watches, and how long their account has been active, to determine whether they are under the age of 18.

That’s not actually AI is it ?

Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 28 Sep 02:34 next collapse

I assume they already did this for advertising purposes, just like every other platform trying to guess your demographics to sell you more useless shit.

lemmyknow@lemmy.today on 28 Sep 21:11 collapse

And that’s not just a win for companies. The fact that my metadata is out there is great for me as a user. Like with targeted ads – I get tons of coupons from cool restaurants.

isVeryLoud@lemmy.ca on 28 Sep 21:22 collapse

Can’t tell if /s

lemmyknow@lemmy.today on 29 Sep 07:30 collapse

It’s a direct quote from when Sascha Kemmis-Powers visited Smart Pipe

Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 03:51 next collapse

How long before a certain orange moron starts complaining that it keeps thinking he’s 13 for some reason?

lemmyknow@lemmy.today on 28 Sep 21:12 collapse

Damn, y’all really can’t think 'bout nu’in else, innit?

Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world on 29 Sep 00:12 collapse

Jokes are jokes. Guy wants to be in the spotlight, jokes on him, right?

lemmyknow@lemmy.today on 29 Sep 07:23 collapse

I just find it kinda weird and annoying how y’all can turn unrelated topics into US news and politics. As someone who has never set foot there, I know way more than I need to about it because of how widespread your news and politics are, and how much it comes my way even when unrelated to the topic at hand.

Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world on 29 Sep 12:17 collapse

You’re right. It’s even worse when you’re within the US because it just doesn’t stop. It’s rather arrogant of me to disregard other nationalities here and I’ll make more of an effort. I made a related joke in a space sub once and they were less than enthusiastic (to say the least).

Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org on 28 Sep 05:23 next collapse

The have been thoroughly unable to guess my age for the last 18 years.

Wispy2891@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 05:54 next collapse

I’m betting that it’s so “intelligent” that will guess underage even if the Google account was opened in 2004

boonhet@sopuli.xyz on 28 Sep 21:12 collapse

IIRC that is one parameter they actually mentioned taking into account.

I guess my 2006 or 2007 or whatever YouTube account (which, yes, I later connected with my Google account - not all that much later, in fact) will perhaps qualify me for adult-only content finally.

MrSulu@lemmy.ml on 28 Sep 06:55 next collapse

The highly sophisticated and clever AI has already brilliantly identified several underaged people who have youtube or associated gmail accounts that are older than the minimum age.

jj4211@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 20:48 collapse

Nah, google accounts are a recent thing, no way can that be a thing… Can it?

Oh hell I’m old…

ErmahgherdDavid@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 28 Sep 21:28 collapse

My Gmail account is old enough to buy drinks in a bar in the US (21)

phutatorius@lemmy.zip on 28 Sep 17:07 next collapse

They’ll be counting the wrinkies on my asshole.

lemmyknow@lemmy.today on 28 Sep 21:06 next collapse

When you log into YouTube, a patented recog device does read your anus to confirm your identity. Its CCDs convert light into text-based codes, which represent your unique fingerprint of anal terrain.

prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works on 05 Oct 15:03 collapse

In an alternate universe you wedge your iScan device into your butt cheeks so it maintains constant positive biometric contact with you as your token for authentication.

Your passcode plus biometric scan.

lemmyknow@lemmy.today on 05 Oct 16:32 collapse

I present to you the future: smart pipe

bhamlin@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 21:38 collapse

And y’all made fun of me for putting sunscreen on my asshole!

UncleGrandPa@lemmy.world on 28 Sep 21:45 collapse

Start peppering your responses with archaic terms and slang… Confuse the hell out of them