Following its rollout in Singapore and other markets, Google has brought its age assurance technology to Malaysia. As its name suggests, the feature estimates whether users are above or below 18 years old, allowing the company to provide “age-appropriate experiences” for those it believes are under 18.
According to the official blog, users estimated to be under 18 will automatically receive enhanced protections across its products and services. These include enabling SafeSearch by default to filter explicit content, blocking mature material on Google Play and Gemini, prohibiting personalised ads, and disabling Location Timeline on Google Maps.
Google will also enable YouTube‘s Digital Wellbeing tools, including “Take a break” and “Time for bed” reminders. The platform will introduce additional safeguards for content recommendations, including measures to limit repetitive views of certain types of content.
How Age Assurance Works
The company says its age estimation model uses machine learning to analyse a range of signals already associated with a user’s account, such as the types of information they have searched for. These signals help the company estimate whether a user is above or below 18 years old. The company also emphasised that this approach does not involve collecting additional data.
Users estimated to be under 18 will receive notifications via email while using the tech giant’s products. These notifications explain the changes made to their account settings and how adults who have been incorrectly classified can verify their age.
Adults who are mistakenly identified as under 18 can verify their age by submitting a photo of a government-issued ID or a selfie. However, Google’s announcement did not specify whether these images would be deleted after the verification process is complete.
(Source: Google)
