YouTube is limiting videos about weight and appearance for teens

YouTube is adjusting its algorithm to restrict videos showing non-violent aggression and idealized carnal appearances from being promoted to teenagers connected the platform. In a caller blog post, YouTube says that specified contented “may beryllium innocuous arsenic a azygous video” but it could “be problematic for immoderate teens if viewed repetitively.”

The restrictions purpose to forestall younger users from falling into harmful “rabbit hole” contented pipelines without preventing them from viewing specified videos entirely, arsenic galore are compliant with YouTube’s contented guidelines. “Teens are much apt than adults to signifier antagonistic beliefs astir themselves erstwhile seeing repeated messages astir perfect standards successful contented they devour online,” YouTube said.

The caller safeguards are being introduced globally, and use to contented that compares oregon idealizes definite carnal features, weight, and fittingness implicit others, oregon displays “social aggression” similar intimidation and non-contact fights. The restrictions besides use to constitution tutorials for changing the quality of someone’s chemoreceptor oregon oculus shape, oregon fittingness videos promoting muscular oregon slim physiques. 

“A higher frequence of contented that idealizes unhealthy standards oregon behaviors tin stress perchance problematic messages — and those messages tin interaction however immoderate teens spot themselves,” said Allison Briscoe-Smith, a researcher connected YouTube’s Youth and Families Advisory Committee. “Guardrails tin assistance teens support steadfast patterns arsenic they people comparison themselves to others and size up however they privation to amusement up successful the world.”