TikTok Sources Clarify: No AI Age Verification System Coming to the US

In August 2025, KreekCraft, a prominent Roblox streamer, gained widespread attention when he revealed an alarming notification he received on TikTok. The message stated that his account was about to be deleted due to an alleged failure to meet the age requirement, claiming, “it looks like you do not meet the age requirement to use TikTok.”

My TikTok account almost got deleted because their AI thought I was under 13 years old. I had to verify with an ID + Selfie to save my account. This is the problem with AI age verification. I’m 28 years old btw.pic.twitter.com/4rrd038MTv

— KreekCraft (@KreekCraft) August 10, 2025

Clarification on TikTok’s Age Verification Process

In response to the incident, sources close to TikTok have stated that the platform does not exclusively rely on AI for age verification. Instead, it employs a combination of moderation tools that, while effective, can misinterpret certain user data.

For example, moderation tools might incorrectly flag a user’s comment about attending middle school as a sign of insufficient age. This misclassification is part of the complexity involved in ensuring user safety on the platform.

Representatives from TikTok emphasized that the situation experienced by KreekCraft was likely an anomaly resulting from the variety of tools they use to assess user ages.

TikTok is rolling out age verification in the US for users it believes are under age. They’ll need to present a credit card or ID and selfies in order to access features on the app pic.twitter.com/sD7H2zgaU6

— dexerto (@dexerto) August 10, 2025

This development follows the implementation of a new age verification system by TikTok earlier in August, highlighting ongoing concerns about how social media platforms manage underage users.

The Growing Debate on AI Age Verification

KreekCraft’s experience has reignited discussions surrounding the reliability of AI in age verification across various social media platforms. Notably, YouTube announced its own plans to introduce AI-driven age verification starting August 13, 2025, which aims to leverage machine learning alongside user activity and viewing history to assess age.

YouTube is rolling out AI in the US to detect if users are actually under 18. It ignores the stated age and applies restrictions to users it suspects are teens pic.twitter.com/BKZdCXjtBm

— dexerto (@dexerto) July 30, 2025

Under YouTube’s new model, users identified as under 18 may face content restrictions and reduced personalized advertising exposure to shield them from inappropriate material.

The conversation surrounding AI-based age verification isn’t limited to the United States; similar measures have emerged in the UK, mandating facial identification for users to access particular websites. This has led some users to develop creative workarounds, including using images of celebrities from video games as “verification.”

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