YouTube is limiting videos about weight and appearance for teens

YouTube is adjusting its algorithm to restrict videos showing non-violent aggression and idealized physical appearances from being promoted to teenagers on the platform. In a new blog post, YouTube says that such content “may be innocuous as a single video” but it could “be problematic for some teens if viewed repetitively.”

The restrictions aim to prevent younger users from falling into harmful “rabbit hole” content pipelines without preventing them from viewing such videos entirely, as many are compliant with YouTube’s content guidelines. “Teens are more likely than adults to form negative beliefs about themselves when seeing repeated messages about ideal standards in content they consume online,” YouTube said.

The new safeguards are being introduced globally, and apply to content that compares or idealizes certain physical features, weight, and fitness over others, or displays “social aggression” like intimidation and non-contact fights. The restrictions also apply to makeup tutorials for changing the appearance of someone’s nose or eye shape, or fitness videos promoting muscular or slim physiques. 

“A higher frequency of content that idealizes unhealthy standards or behaviors can emphasize potentially problematic messages — and those messages can impact how some teens see themselves,” said Allison Briscoe-Smith, a researcher on YouTube’s Youth and Families Advisory Committee. “Guardrails can help teens maintain healthy patterns as they naturally compare themselves to others and size up how they want to show up in the world.”