YouTube Tightens Policies on Firearm Videos to Protect Minors

YouTube is updating its policies to restrict potentially dangerous firearm content from reaching underage users. The new rules prohibit videos showing the removal of firearm safety devices, homemade guns, automatic weapons, and certain accessories to users under 18. These changes, effective June 18, follow calls from gun safety advocates for stronger age controls.

YouTube is tightening its policies on firearm videos in a bid to protect minors from potentially harmful content. Starting June 18, the platform will ban videos that demonstrate how to remove firearm safety devices and restrict other firearm-related content, including homemade guns and automatic weapons, to users aged 18 and older.

This policy shift comes after continuous pressure from gun safety advocates who have stressed the risks these videos pose to young viewers, potentially leading them toward violence and extremism. Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project, welcomed the change but questioned its delayed implementation and expressed concerns about its enforcement.

'Firearms are the number one cause of death for children and teens in America,' said Paul. She emphasized that YouTube's policies would remain hollow unless rigorously enforced, noting past research showing underage users were easily exposed to graphic gun-related content. YouTube's update reflects new developments like 3D-printed guns, aiming to enhance user safety amid growing scrutiny over social media's role in promoting violence.

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