We’ve all seen the same video recommendation over and over again, usually about something like a specific way we should look, wear, or act. And it makes us feel…less than. Now, YouTube wants to protect teens from those feelings of inadequacy.
5 Reminders for Teens to Have Less Insecurity
In an update to how YouTube is serving teens, the company said today that it is changing how certain types of content are recommended to teens. Specifically, content recommendations for videos that are deemed problematic if repeatedly presented to teens — videos related to body image and noncontact social aggression — will be limited.
“In collaboration with the advisory committee, we identified categories of content that may be harmless in a single video but could be problematic for some teens if they watch the video repeatedly,” James Beser, director of product management for YouTube Kids and Youth, wrote in the blog post announcing the changes.
YouTube is also revamping the way it presents crisis resource panels: resources for outside crisis hotlines and prompts designed to steer searches toward more positive topics. These crisis resource panels will be full-page experiences designed to interrupt the flow of information and give teens a chance to think about what they’re searching for.
