In a blog post on Wednesday, Google made several announcements regarding the safety of children on the internet. Google will start testing a feature later this year utilizing machine learning to estimate a user’s age. The “machine learning-based age estimation model” will try to predict whether a user is under 18. If the user is under the age of 18, Google will use AI and apply appropriate age filter settings to their account. It will allow the search engine giant to “provide more age-appropriate experiences” across its platforms.
Google will apply AI age filters to underage accounts to provide age-appropriate experiences
Google will restrict content on YouTube that might not be appropriate for users under the age of 18 using machine learning models and artificial intelligence. After the US, the search engine giant plans to bring its age estimation technology to more countries over time. Google will continue to “explore additional opportunities to provide increased transparency to users about age estimation at the account level”, The Verge reported on Wednesday.
Google’s machine learning models will make their predictions utilizing data like the types of information the user searches. It will also look at the categories of videos a user watches and the age of their accounts. For example, if a user frequently searches for information about mortgage lending or taxes, it probably points to the user being over 18. The same goes without saying for an account that’s over 20 years old.
If Google’s machine learning and AI model predicts that a user is underage. YouTube will apply its standard protections to provide more age-appropriate content to the user. It will also block explicit or age-restricted videos for accounts under the age of 18. Google’s underage restrictions will also include its SafeSearch Filter, which blocks explicit content from search results.
Google will also roll out the School Time feature to Android phones and tablets soon
Furthermore, Google has announced that its School Time feature will soon be available on Android phones and tablets. So far, this feature was only available as a smartwatch app on the Fitbit Ace LTE and Galaxy Watch for Kids. It is part of Google’s Family Link parental control app. The feature allows parents to determine what phone features and applications their teens can use during school hours.
Parents can use the School Time feature to choose which apps remain active while allowing text messages and calls from certain contacts. The whole idea is to minimize screen time and help children focus on their studies while still green-lighting emergency contacts. Google will start rolling out this functionality to compatible devices “in the coming months”.
