YouTube is allegedly ready to roll out a new update that will utilize artificial intelligence for age verification purposes. The website recently started showcasing a message announcing that it was extending its "teen protections" to users based in the United States.These "age-appropriate protections" would bring certain changes to the YouTube viewing experience, including enabling digital well-being tools by default, showcasing only non-personalized advertisements, and automatically setting videos uploaded by users to private. Furthermore, certain restrictions regarding recommendations will be introduced, such as limiting repetitive viewing of certain kinds of content.With the new changes set to become effective from August 13, 2025, netizens have taken to multiple platforms to express their discontent with the change. Many have expressed concerns regarding the usage of AI algorithms to determine one's age through the content they consume on the platform, claiming that it was highly likely to return false positives and flag accounts operated by adults:"I don't have the viewing habits of a teenager but since this is AI, it will generate tens of thousands of false positives, so I'll watch out regardless. If this inconveniences me in any way, I'll cancel my premium. I mostly have it for music, but I'll have a look at Bandcamp etc. Probably better for the artists anyway," wrote Reddit user u/error521"Well, all the devices in my house are signed in under my account, my wife uses it for her stuff on youtube and to play kids videos too, this is not going to backfire at all..." wrote Reddit user u/count023"I have a feeling it's going to be really f***in annoying. Pretty sure my account is older than 13. So I hope that's a factor," wrote X user @bulletfriendly"Truly the dumbest thing youtube has done," wrote X user @somepinkcowFurthermore, netizens speculated whether the machine learning process could be bypassed by underage individuals through manipulating the platform's algorithm:"So those who are underage can simply bypass this with some dedicated algorithm manipulation?" wrote Reddit user u/SaulsAllMeanwhile, some were more hopeful about the implementation of the new mechanism and wished for it to be incorporated in a way that does not inconvenience existing users:"Hopefully they are smart enough to look at the client context. My TV in my room is logged in as me but the kids watch stuff on it more than I do, so YouTube may become convinced I'm an 8 year old," wrote Reddit user u/AJHenderson"I've never used any account to browse YouTube. I wonder if this will change anything to the content it now 'allows' me to view," wrote Reddit user u/SilverMedal4LifeHow will the process of age verification work on YouTube?As per YouTube, its new AI system will utilize "signals" to determine the user's age, and subsequently determine if they are over or under the age of 18. These signals may include the type of videos being searched for by the user, the categories of videos watched, as well as the age of the account.If YouTube's new mechanisms determine a user to be a teenager, the aforementioned restrictions and changes to advertising, digital well-being, recommendations, and uploads will be applied.The Google-owned platform has also provided relief for those who may be incorrectly identified as being under the age of 18. These erroneously flagged users can then use a government ID or a credit card to verify that they are above 18 years old. Only those verified or inferred by the AI software to be above 18 years will be allowed to watch restricted content deemed inappropriate for younger visitors.In other news, Twitch VTuber and Battlefield 6 Open Beta player RileyCS was recently banned on Twitch after being accused of using an aimbot by netizens. These allegations emerged in response to her fast-paced and accurate gameplay during her broadcasts of Battlefield 6.