Google to launch age assurance in Singapore to strengthen online safety for kids and teens
Age assurance uses AI to identify under-18 users and enable built-in safety settings across Google platforms, helping young people stay protected online.
Google has announced a major step forward in protecting children and teens online with the launch of age assurance solutions across its products in Singapore from early 2026. The new safeguards will use machine learning to help distinguish between younger users and adults, automatically creating more age-appropriate experiences across platforms like Search, YouTube, Maps, and Google Play.
Smarter protections across Google products
(L-R)_ Alderic Teo, Impact Creator, Lingyi Xiong, Wah!Banana, Impact Creator, Ryan Tan, Overkill Singapore Impact Creator, Dikshant Chopra, Head of YouTube Partnerships - Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and SAF at the Safer with Google 2025 event
The new feature will trigger automatic settings for users estimated to be under 18, ensuring safer online journeys. These include:
- Google Maps: Timeline disabled for minors.
- Google Play: Blocking access to adult-only apps.
- Google Search: SafeSearch filters switched on by default.
YouTube: Built-in digital wellbeing tools such as break reminders, bedtime nudges, and safeguards to prevent excessive repeat viewing of certain types of content.
Adults who are incorrectly identified as minors can verify their age with an ID or selfie, maintaining access to the full range of Google’s services while ensuring youth are automatically protected.
Responding to parents’ concerns
A recent survey on digital parenting in Singapore highlighted that parents remain worried about children’s exposure to harmful or inappropriate content online. Google’s new solution directly addresses those fears by introducing a proactive, built-in barrier that complements existing parental tools.
Community advocates welcomed the move, noting that while technology is not a replacement for guidance, safety-by-design measures like age assurance are powerful levers that help create more trusted digital spaces. Parents also expressed relief that children will no longer be able to bypass simple age gates, describing the rollout as a thoughtful and necessary layer of protection.
Creators for Impact: Raising awareness through content
(L-R)_ Mathilda Huang, Creators for Impact, Esther Foong-Tan, Family Life Education Specialist, SGFamilies, Madam Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, Danny Ardianto, Southeast Asia Lead Government Affairs.jpg
Alongside product updates, Google is also investing in education through the YouTube Creators for Impact 2025 programme. Now in its fourth year, the initiative will see six local creators, Alderic Teo, Avi Dixit, Jamie Lim Yin Yin, Lingyi from Wah!Banana, Mathilda Huang, and Ryan Tan from Overkill Singapore, produce content to raise awareness about cyberbullying, harassment, and other online harms.
These creators will undergo expert workshops and dialogue sessions before releasing videos aimed at sparking conversation and providing resources that young audiences can relate to and trust. Since its launch in 2022, Creators for Impact has grown into an Asia-first programme that empowers creators to drive positive digital change.
A shared responsibility
Safer with Google 2025 event
Google emphasised that protecting children online cannot be achieved by technology alone. It requires a whole-of-society effort involving families, educators, communities, and industry players working together. With age assurance solutions, Google is adding a new layer of built-in protection while continuing to offer tools such as Family Link, supervised experiences on YouTube, and the Be Internet Awesome curriculum.
For parents, educators, and young users alike, these steps signal a stronger, safer digital ecosystem — one that helps children harness the benefits of technology confidently, while minimising the risks of harmful online experiences.