YouTubeS age verification is pushing me away from the platform
YouTube has been gradually expanding its AI age-estimation operations in the US over the past few months.It started in July, with the announcement that the platform would require users who didn’t seem sufficiently adult to verify they’re over the age of 18 before accessing all of what the platform has to offer. This month,yet more users got caught in YouTube’s age verification net.
I’m on YouTube a lot: There aren’t manny other places where I can get world news, live music performances, video game reviews, and in-depth explainers on how air conditioning works all in one spot. but YouTube’s invasive age estimation and verification practices are part of a troubling and growing trend – one that could drive me off the platform entirely.
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YouTube’s Age Verification Demands Are a Privacy Nightmare
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YouTube is currently grappling with a problem of its own making: erroneously flagging adult users as minors and slapping content restrictions on their accounts.To lift these restrictions,users must verify their age to YouTube. You can do that by uploading a copy of a government ID showing your age, supplying a selfie for age analysis, or turning over details for a credit card with your name on it.Many users who’ve been faced with the choice are uncomfortable handing over any of this information, and I don’t think they’re wrong in that feeling.
Has YouTube asked you to verify your age?
[Poll Results: Yes, and I uploaded my ID to verify (3%), Yes, and I uploaded a selfie to verify (1%), yes, and I entered credit card information to verify (0%), Yes, but I refused (6%), No, YouTube has not asked me to verify my age (87%), Something else (leave a comment) (3%)]
These verification methods are invasive. Uploading your ID to a website isn’t the same as flashing it to a store clerk to buy a six-pack; in the case of YouTube and other online platforms, handing over your ID involves sending images of the document to be hosted in a place where you have no control of them.
Earlier this year, YouTube told ars Technica that it doesn’t save data from any user’s “ID or Payment Card for the purposes of advertising,” but as Electronic Frontier Foundation Civil Liberties Director David Greene put it to the publication, “I think we can assume that means it will be retained for other purposes.” Google’s got a good track record when it comes to keeping user data locked down, but past performance doesn’t guarantee future results – and now it seems possible that a major breach could leak scans of YouTube users’ government IDs. That’s not the type of info you want in the hands of bad actors.
Anecdotal reports suggest that submitting photos of public figures rather than a real image of yourself may get you out of the appeals process without divulging any personal information. But that isn’t fool-proof, and as time goes on, Google will find ways to strengthen its systems against such workarounds.
Won’t somebody think of the children?
Age Verification Online: A growing Problem
The internet is becoming increasingly policed,and age verification is at the forefront of these changes. as the Online Safety Act’s enforcement began over the summer, VPN use in the UK has skyrocketed, according to Wired.This suggests people are actively seeking ways to circumvent these new restrictions.
“No amount of government-mandated corporate surveillance can stop kids from accessing objectionable content.”
Gating content about sensitive subjects behind age verification systems can itself be harmful to both children and adults. Minors seeking information on navigating difficult situations may find themselves cut off from vital resources – and so can adults unwilling to navigate platforms like YouTube’s age appeal process. One Redditor, Life-Meringue-6396, shared a screenshot showing they were prompted for age verification on YouTube while trying to view a video about suicide awareness.
As mainstream platforms adopt stricter age verification, children (and adults who opt out or can’t verify their identity) will be driven to more obscure corners of the internet for entertainment and information. Ultimately, government-mandated corporate surveillance won’t prevent access to objectionable content. Instead of relying on automated systems, prioritize open communication with children about their online activities.