Age estimation

YouTube reads signals such as the categories someone watches, what they search for and how long the account has existed, and the model can override the stated date of birth. Accounts estimated to be under 18 get teen protections: personalised advertising off, break and bedtime reminders, and limits on repeat viewing of certain content. Anyone caught wrongly can confirm their age with ID or a credit card.

YouTube began applying this to signed-in accounts in the United States during 2025 and has run similar estimation in other markets. For creators the effect lands on audience data and on ad revenue where the audience skews young.