YouTube restricts teens' access to fitness videos

YouTube will limit recommendations for some health and fitness videos to teens, including those that “idealize” certain body types.

It is clarified that users aged 13 to 17 will still be able to search for and view fitness-related content, but will not be encouraged to view similar videos multiple times.

YouTube says it is taking action because of concerns that repeated exposure to such content can lead young people to develop “negative beliefs” about themselves.

Experts welcomed the measure but said it needed to be accompanied by a “broader discussion” about young people's fitness and health.

YouTube's algorithm typically recommends similar content for users to watch after they finish a particular video, and also displays related videos in a sidebar.

The platform says this option will no longer be offered to teenagers when they view certain types of content, including:

• videos that compare physical characteristics and idealize certain types over others

• videos idealizing specific fitness levels or body weights

• videos showing social aggression in the form of non-contact fighting and bullying

YouTube said the measures were taken after its Youth and Families Advisory Board found that “teens are more likely than adults to form negative beliefs about themselves when they see repeated messages about ideal norms in the content they consume online.”

However, restrictions on the videos offered will only be possible if the user is logged in to a YouTube account – and if they have registered a specific date of birth.

The platform has no way to verify users' declared age.

Dr Petya Eckler, a senior lecturer at the University of Strathclyde who studies the relationship between body image and social media, said she welcomed the announcement given “the link between young people's use of social media and how they perceive their bodies”.

But she told the BBC there was still much to do.

“This should go hand in hand with a broader discussion about fitness and health within families and the idea that exercise is a great way to improve our overall health and wellbeing and should not be done just for appearance reasons.”

YouTube also announced new ways for parents to track their children's activities on the platform.

Parents will be able to link their accounts to those of teens in their household to see their uploads, subscriptions and comments, and receive emails when they upload videos or start live streams.

In May, Ofcom asked tech companies to rework their algorithms to steer children away from what it called “toxic” content.