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Google prompts me to verify my age on my account I created in 2004. They’re not trying too hard.

If they admit this, they wouldn't be able to advertise to children anymore without breaking many rules.

Except that in the legal sense, "is user adult" flips from false to true overnight, and there isn't an easy way to account for that in any model that doesn't include verified ID. Same reason many liquor stores ID anyone who looks younger than 40.