YouTube, the popular video sharing platform under the umbrella of Google, has taken a significant step towards ensuring the safety of its underage users by implementing stricter regulations on firearm-related content. The new policies, set to take effect on June 18, aim to prevent potentially dangerous videos from reaching the site's youngest audience, addressing concerns raised by gun safety advocates about the traumatizing and extremism-inducing effects of such content.
Under the revised guidelines, YouTube will prohibit any videos that demonstrate how to remove firearm safety devices, recognizing the potential risks associated with such information falling into the hands of minors. Additionally, the platform will restrict access to videos showcasing homemade guns, automatic weapons, and certain firearm accessories like silencers to users who are 18 years of age or older. This move aims to create a safer online environment for children and teens, who are particularly vulnerable to the influence of firearms-related content.
The changes come after persistent calls from gun safety advocates, who have long urged YouTube to take more stringent measures to prevent gun videos from reaching its youngest users. Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project, welcomed the new policy as a step in the right direction but questioned the platform's delay in implementing such changes. Paul emphasized the importance of effective enforcement, stating that YouTube's policies will remain "empty words" until the company takes real action to prevent videos about guns and gun violence from reaching minors.
The urgency of addressing this issue is underscored by the alarming fact that firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. Last year, researchers at the Tech Transparency Project conducted an experiment by creating YouTube accounts that mimicked the behavior of 9-year-old American boys with an interest in video games. The results were disturbing, as YouTube's recommendations system forwarded these accounts graphic videos of school shootings, tactical gun training, and instructions on making firearms fully automatic. Many of these videos violated YouTube's own policies against violent or gory content, highlighting the need for more robust enforcement.
The new policy changes also come in response to recent developments, such as the increased availability of 3D-printed guns. YouTube requires users under 17 to obtain parental permission before using the site, and accounts for users younger than 13 are linked to their parent's account. However, the effectiveness of these measures has been called into question, as evidenced by the findings of the Tech Transparency Project's research.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who last month called on YouTube to stop the proliferation of firearm-related videos to young users, applauded the company's new policy. Bragg emphasized the direct impact that YouTube's algorithm has on the safety of Manhattanites, as young individuals have reported being driven towards the world of illegal and 3D-printed firearms through the platform's recommendations.
YouTube's policy changes come at a time when social media and video streaming platforms are under increased scrutiny for their role in promoting and glorifying violence. Several perpetrators of recent mass shootings have used these platforms to foreshadow or even livestream their attacks, highlighting the need for more stringent content moderation and age restrictions. As one of the most popular sites for children and teens, alongside TikTok, YouTube bears a significant responsibility in ensuring that its content does not contribute to the normalization of gun violence or the promotion of self-harm and other dangerous behaviors.
NASDAQ: GOOGL
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