Writer's Guide 101 (Wattpad Edition)

UPDATE (8.8.2025)

So I remember stumbling upon this Tumblr post by @sterlinggothdarlings where it warns those who could possibly be restricted from YouTube completely. For more info, here's the link down below:

https://www.tumblr.com/sterlinggothdarlings/790685344727236608/it-will-affect-you-too?source=share

To those who might be unaware, YouTube will start implementing AI in verifying users' age. If you're one of those people who watch the following:

• Gameplays and gaming-related videos

E.g. Minecraft, Undertale/Deltarune, The Sims 4, GTA/Minecraft roleplaying videos, mod videos (even if the mod is 18+), Genshin Impact and other gachas, horror games no matter the rating

• Unboxing of Pokémon/Magic The Gathering/any other type of playing cards

• Table Top Games, including watching TTRPG campaigns and slime tutorials;

• Essays/Commentary/Theories about IP for children, like cartoons/anime (e.g. Gravity Falls, Winx Club, Monster High, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh) and the like;

• Anything about doll customizing, including ball-jointed dolls, Blythe dolls, OOAK projects, and anything similar;

• Cosplay videos
• Videos about collectibles like Labubu dolls, Funko Pop and plushies;

• Videos and YT podcasts about anime, like Trash Taste and Mother's Basement

• VTubing, most likely, given the nature of animated avatars

• Also probably Draw With Me/Art tutorials of all kinds

There is a chance that the AI will target your account, even if you're not from the U.S., and flag it as an underage account because of your watching habits.
Therefore, requiring you to provide your identification or photo to YouTube in order to continue using their services normally and not have your account deleted.
If you don't and still continue to use the service disregarding your account's newly found underage classification, they will continue to control whatever you're allowed to watch.
There are various tips on how to reverse this law which range from ditching YouTube completely (yes, this includes not watching anything on your browser), sending letters to their PO box, calling their representatives and filing a complaint towards the FTC until August 13th.
    There is even a petition that could hopefully reverse YouTube's new policy.
Now, it's important to take all this with a grain of salt and keep a level head. Maybe we might come to an agreement that instead of requiring people to literally dox themselves, YouTube can just stick to marking certain content that may contain violence, foul language and other adult themes as age-restricted to those under 18 like they used to and require signing into an account to actually view it.
   Try blocking certain content for each region just like how that "Feel Good" music video by Gorillaz was banned in the U.S.
    In my opinion, I would be at least fine with YouTube estimating your possible age based on the type of content you typically engage with.
   I would rather have it assume I'm thirty because I used to rewatch scenes of the White Rabbit from DMC and listen to Redhook often than think I might be a ten-year-old because I wasn't able to provide an ID.
   So according to Papa YouTube, anime — regardless of how gritty and disturbing it is — is considered kids' content.
   I listen to Hi Nay podcasts, Saberspark, The Roundtable, Nick Crowley and other Booktubers. Heck, I often watch "The Amazing Digital Circus" which I am aware is not made for kids.
    I speculate that the ones who might be affected by this rule are those whose YouTube region is set in the US. As far as I remember, you can even change the region and language in the settings.
Even if they were to try implementing this new rule of verifying users with AI, people will eventually find a way around it. I also don't think that it's gonna be easy to just abandon YouTube altogether as you still have millions of people who post on the platform.
    It is a pretty huge company that not even its tough competitors could top it off. Have you guys forgotten that the site is literally owned by Google? Unless they're bombarded with angry reviews from around the world and an entire angry mob is able to cause YouTube's stock market to crash, then what's stopping YouTube from implementing such a draconian law that'd drive most of its loyal userbase away?
    What also boggles my mind is how not many people outside of YouTube, Tumblr, Twitter and TikTok are talking about this issue. Not even from Gulf News, Reuters, BBC and other famous celebrities.
Now, you might think that all this online censorship thing could just be a hoax simply because you only hear it on the Internet. NEWS FLASH! It can also have an indirect effect on people in real life, too!  
    As I tend to say before, there shouldn't be a need to also ruin somebody else's experience just so your little kid can enjoy unlimited Internet access.
    A lot of sites like YouTube are the equivalent of a public space. It's a huge plaza where everybody of all ages and backgrounds get to hang out. If anything, heavily relying on AI to monitor everything isn't gonna be such a great idea.
    For goodness sake, YouTube! You already have YouTube Kids so why not work on removing the disgusting content farms there? If your supposed AI can't even comprehend the fact that an adult like me who can enjoy anime and other kids' content do exist, then don't expect me to trust you.
    If it's true, it is just wild to see that an American company would try to implement their rules on other countries. For now, all we could do is wait and hope this gets resolved.