How else to prove your age?
If the system gets it wrong, you can prove your age with a government-issued ID, credit card, or selfie. Browsing without logging in? Some content will be blocked unless you verify your age another way.
The trial comes amid growing political and legal pressure for tech platforms to step up age verification, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law aimed at restricting minors’ access to explicit material.
James Beser, YouTube’s director of product management for youth, said in a blog post that the system is designed to “deliver safety protections while preserving teen privacy,” though digital rights groups caution it could raise privacy and free speech concerns.
If successful, this test could pave the way for a global rollout—marking a future where YouTube knows your age not because you told it, but because it figured it out. For millions of users, that could mean smarter recommendations, stricter safeguards, and a new standard in how online platforms handle age verification.
Justin is a personal finance author and seasoned business journalist with over a decade of experience. He makes it his mission to break down complex financial topics and make them clear, relatable, and relevant—helping everyday readers navigate today’s economy with confidence.
Before returning to his Middle Eastern roots, where he was born and raised, Justin worked as a Business Correspondent at Reuters, reporting on equities and economic trends across both the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.