The video-sharing website announced that as of June 18th, it will not allow any videos that show users how to take out safety devices for firearms.
Google-owned YouTube will also prohibit anyone under the age of 18 from seeing videos featuring automatic weapons and improvised firearms.
While supporters of the program have praised it, they have stated that YouTube needs to demonstrate that it is making “real action” to shield kids from violent or possibly traumatic content.
According to a study by the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation in Washington, since 2020, gun-related injuries have been the US’s leading cause of death for children and teenagers.
The number of US youngsters injured or killed by gunfire hit a record high in 2022.
The Tech Transparency Project’s director, Katie Paul, questioned the platform’s prolonged delay in releasing a new policy and stated that the organization will monitor YouTube’s enforcement of the new guidelines.
According to Ms. Paul, “firearms are the number one cause of death for children and teens in America.” Her organization has long advocated for stricter age restrictions on footage of guns posted online.
“As is often the case with YouTube, the true litmus test for any change is how strictly the corporation upholds its established regulations.
