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YouTube to crack down on inappropriate content masked as kids' cartoons
Recent news stories and blog posts highlighted the underbelly of YouTube Kids, Google's children-friendly version of the wide world of YouTube. While all content on YouTube Kids is meant to be suitable for children under the age of 13, some inappropriate videos using animations, cartoons, and child-focused keywords manage to get past YouTube's algorithms and in front of kids' eyes. Now, YouTube will implement a new policy in an attempt to make the whole of YouTube safer: it will age-restrict inappropriate videos masquerading as children's content in the main YouTube app.
[...] Also, all age-restricted content is not eligible for advertising, which will undoubtedly hit the wallets of the creators making these videos. While it's hard to understand why anyone would make a video about Peppa Pig drinking bleach or a bunch of superheroes and villains participating in a cartoonish yet violent "nursery rhyme," it's been a decent way to make money on YouTube. Some of these videos have amassed hundreds of thousands (and sometimes millions) of views, gleaning ad dollars and channel popularity.
Check the related videos to see some bizarre clickbait. Some are even live action skits performed by adults.
Are we doing enough to traumatize our kids?
Related: YouTube's "Ad-Friendly" Content Policy may Push one of its Biggest Stars off the Site
Google Fails to Stop Major Brands From Pulling Ads From YouTube
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 11 2017, @04:55PM (3 children)
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 11 2017, @05:37PM (2 children)
Age requirements are so stupid. I can't possibly remember what ages I've given various sites. I guess I could go back and look. Told Yahoo that I was 91 years old, when they sent me a thing to sign up - that was at least a decade ago. Told AOL that I was about 70 or 75, and that was before AOL. Other places, I used the minimum age possible - if 13 was good enough, I was 13. Maybe that was Geoshitty?
I've never been questioned by any site aside from G+ and Facefook. That, in and of itself, is enough reason to avoid both.
(Score: 2) by Pino P on Saturday November 11 2017, @07:31PM (1 child)
Then you appear to have never visited the website of any major beer manufacturer in the United States. Last I checked, they all had a (sham) age verification interstitial.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 11 2017, @10:49PM
Key word, being "sham". The beer distributors don't care how old you are, and they aren't even going to pretend to verify your age. Only Facefook, and G+ have ever attempted to do so, in my experience.