Why YouTube Stopped Recommending Videos About Physical Appearance to Teens
YouTube is beefing up protections on its platform to make it a better experience for underage users. On Thursday, the video streaming giant announced it would restrict video recommendations about body weight, fitness and physical appearance to teens. The company said the decision was based on suggestions from an advisory panel that also revealed that teens are more likely than adults to form negative beliefs about themselves — a decision the company says is the reason for the new restrictions on the platform.
YouTube improves safety measures for teens
In a blog postThe video streaming giant detailed the categories of videos it will no longer recommend to teens. These include videos that compare physical features or idealize one type of feature over others, idealize specific fitness levels or body weights, or emphasize social aggression like non-contact fighting and intimidation. The change is rolling out to users globally.
YouTube said the decision came after an advisory panel shared key insights about the platform’s impact on teens’ developmental stages. “One insight is that teens are more likely than adults to form negative beliefs about themselves when they repeatedly see messages about ideal standards in the content they consume online,” it added.
The company stressed that watching a single video from the above categories can be harmless, but that repeated suggestions can have a harmful impact on teens. YouTube is also improving its Community Guidelines to remove content and prevent minors from seeing videos that violate its policies.
In addition, the platform also makes crisis support resource panels available in several countries in Europe. These panels are designed to help people connect with support for suicide and self-harm. Users suffering from these can be directed to third-party crisis helplines if they search for specific questions related to these topics.
To make the platform even safer for minors, YouTube is also introducing a new guided experience that gives parents and teens the ability to link their accounts. Once linked, parents will be able to see their teen’s channel activity across YouTube. The company says it will help provide encouragement and guidance to parents on responsible content creation. The feature is currently in development, but parents will soon be able to link accounts by visiting a new section called the Family Center hub.
