YouTube backlash begins: “Why is AI combing through every single video I watch?”

Tens of thousands of YouTubers are raging against YouTube's plan to use AI to detect underage users in the US.

On Tuesday, a Change.org petition rapidly neared its 50,000-signature goal, with tens of thousands hoping that with enough users protesting, the wide rollout of the AI age checks might be stopped. They fear the age checks will make it harder to access content they love while staying anonymous on the platform

YouTube's age verification system estimates user ages by interpreting a "variety of signals," YouTube's announcement said, including "the types of videos a user is searching for, the categories of videos they have watched, or the longevity of the account."

If a user is estimated to be under 18, YouTube restricts the account by disabling personalized ads, turning on digital wellbeing tools to prevent young users from being bombarded with harmful content, and adding other safeguards, like limiting repetitive views of certain types of content. To lift these restrictions, YouTube requires users to share either a government ID, a credit card, or a selfie to authenticate their actual ages.

Privacy experts previously told Ars that YouTube's AI age checks are concerning. YouTube does not specify how any of the data received from users incorrectly labeled as teens will be used or how long it will be stored. A YouTube spokesperson only told Ars that the company "does not retain data from" a user's "ID or Payment Card for the purposes of advertising."

Users signing the Change.org petition shared privacy experts' concerns. They’re concerned that an invasive system of perhaps questionable quality will deem their viewing habits immature, requiring them to hand over data that could be leaked or breached. Experts have noted that even the best age-estimation tech has about a two-year error window on each side, meaning YouTubers between 16 and 20 may be especially susceptible to incorrect age estimation.