2025-10-24

ME: Yesterday I tried to read an article and google blocked me demanding I upload my driver’s license, passport, or other information to prove my age (I declined). What was that all about?

GoogleAI: The prompt for age verification is due to Google's new system, which uses AI to estimate users' ages to comply with a global push for online age-verification laws. This system may flag adult users as minors, restricting access to certain content until their age is confirmed with a government ID, credit card, or a selfie.

How Google's AI age verification works

• AI age estimation: Google's system analyzes user activity, such as search history and YouTube viewing habits, to estimate a user's age.

• Widespread enforcement: While initially affecting only a "small set" of users, this system is now rolling out more widely and affecting multiple Google services, including Search, YouTube, and the Google Play Store.

• Restricted content: When the AI flags an account as potentially belonging to someone underage, it applies the same restrictions as if the user had self-identified as a minor. This includes turning on SafeSearch and restricting access to mature content.

• Incorrect flagging: The system is not foolproof and has been known to incorrectly flag adult users, causing them to be locked out of content they previously accessed without issue.

Your options for age verification If your account was incorrectly flagged, you can verify your age using one of Google's approved methods:

• Government ID: Upload a photo of a government-issued ID, like a driver's license or passport. Google states it stores these documents securely and deletes them after your age has been successfully verified.

• Credit card: Provide your credit card details to confirm your age. Any authorization is temporary and will be fully refunded.

• Selfie: Use a selfie-based verification service.

Privacy concerns and context

For users who are hesitant to provide private documents to a large tech company, this situation presents a privacy conflict. While it's Google's official process, providing personal information is a risk many users are unwilling to take.

This initiative is driven by pressure from lawmakers in various countries, including the U.S. and U.K., who are pushing for stricter age-verification measures to protect minors online. However, this is also a highly debated issue, with concerns raised about the impact on adult users' privacy and freedom of access to information.