YouTube restricts teenager access to fitness videos

Limit to recommendations to certain videos on health and fitness, including those which “idealise” certain body types to teenagers is to be implemented by American online video sharing platform, YouTube.

YouTube
YouTube

13 to 17-year olds will still be able to search for and view fitness-related content, it says, however, will not be encouraged into viewing of similar videos repeatedly.

YouTube reveals, it is making the move due to worries that exposure to such videos repeatedly can result to young people developing “negative beliefs” about themselves.

Experts are in support of the measure, but, say there is the need for more talks about fitness and health for young people.

The platform owned by Google says, this will no longer be offered for teens when they view some type of content, encompassing:

  • videos that compare physical features and idealises some types over others
  • videos idealising specific fitness levels or body weights
  • videos displaying social aggression in the form of non-contact fights and intimidation
YouTube disclosed, the measures were being taken following the discovery by its Youth and Familes Advisory Committee that, “teens are more likely than adults to form negative beliefs about themselves when seeing repeated messages about ideal standards in content they consume online.”

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