YouTube's age-verification move is another step in the growing age-verification push that is being hastened by the US and other governments trying to prevent children from accessing content deemed harmful, unhealthy and not appropriate for their age. If its age-estimation system decides someone is under 18, YouTube will then:

YouTube is set to roll out an age-estimation tool that will automatically detect users under 18 and place them under appropriate restrictions. The tech uses various signals, such as YouTube activity and account longevity,

YouTube is introducing age-detection technology to identify teens on the platform in the U.S. and apply protections.

The Australian government has announced that YouTube will be included in new legislation that bans children under the age of 16 from using social media.

Australia said on Wednesday it will add YouTube to sites covered by its world-first ban on social media for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned video-sharing site and potentially setting up a legal challenge.

The Australian government has announced YouTube will be required to ensure account holders are at least 16 years old starting in December.