YouTube takes new measures to protect teen mental health

YouTube will limit how often teens receive recommendations for videos related to body image. It will also restrict those who are socially aggressive. The company explained this Thursday that the new measure aims guarantee the “well-being and mental health” of these users.

YouTube explained that it made this decision in consultation with its Youth and Families Advisory Committee, which includes psychologists, researchers and other experts in the field of child development. For years, the committee has advised the platform on the potentially harmful effects that certain content could have on children and teenagers.

“Higher frequency of content that idealizes unhealthy standards or behaviors can highlight potentially problematic messages,” Allison Briscoe-Smith, a researcher and member of the Youth and Families Advisory Committee, explained in a statement. “These messages can influence how some teenagers see themselves. “Boundaries can help teens maintain healthy lifestyles,” the expert added.

YouTube is taking this precaution days after dozens of US states sued Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for allegedly fueling a youth mental health crisis. Prosecutors slam the addictive nature of Mark Zuckerberg’s social media platforms and the company’s inaction to address the issue.

New YouTube updates to benefit teen health

Teen users will receive fewer recommendations for YouTube videos that specifically “compare physical characteristics and idealize some types over others, or idealize a certain fitness level or body weight.” Regarding the social aggression content, the company referred to those videos that showed attacks “in the form of non-contact fighting and intimidation.”

YouTube said restrictions will begin will apply on November 2 in the US and will cover more countries through 2024. The company also announced updates to other teen well-being tools, such as “break time” and bedtime reminders. Now they will be more noticeable and will appear more often.

YouTube has also expanded its crisis resource panels to full pages. The feature connects users who search for topics like “eating disorders” or “suicide” with real-time support services. It also redirects them to search results about “self-compassion” or “grounding exercises.” This feature is now available to audiences of all ages in locations where these panels are already enabled.

Social networks in the spotlight

The largest social media companies in the US have for years faced hundreds of lawsuits filed by families and school districts concerned about the impact on the mental health of children and teenagers. But prosecutors’ actions against Meta last week are the most significant to date.

This major investigation was prompted by a series of reports published by Wall Street Journalin September 2021. American media published internal research conducted by Instagram about the impact on users. “We are exacerbating body image issues for one in three teenage women.”This is stated in one of the conclusions of the internal analysis, which the company has known about since at least 2020.

The leaked reports, which Meta decided to keep secret, revealed how Instagram created depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. “Meta is harming our children and teens by cultivating addiction to increase corporate profits,” Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general and one of the officials leading the lawsuit against the company, said in a statement.

YouTube, although it has announced these and other measures to take care of the health of teenagers, has also been questioned by a number of organizations. A study published last May found that its algorithm recommended hundreds of videos about guns and gun violence to accounts of children interested in video games.

A 2022 Pew Research survey found that Google-owned YouTube is the most popular social network for 13- to 17-year-olds in the United States. 95% of respondents said they used it