YouTube announces new policies on eating disorder content

SAN FRANCISCO: Google-owned YouTube has announced that it will update its approach to eating disorder-related content to create space for community, recovery and resources while protecting viewers in the coming weeks.

"We've long had policies to remove content that glorifies or promotes eating disorders. Moving forward, we'll be updating our Community Guidelines to also prohibit content about eating disorders that feature imitable behaviour, or behaviour that we worked with experts to determine can lead at-risk viewers to imitate," Youtube said in a blogpost.

According to the company, the policies could include -- disordered eating behaviours, such as purging after eating or severely restricting calories, and weight-based bullying in the context of eating disorders.

The company has collaborated closely with NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) and other organisations to deepen its understanding of imitable behaviour, its potential manifestations in content, and its impact on vulnerable viewers as part of the development of its new policies.

Moreover, to ensure appropriate content viewing, the company has implemented 'age restrictions' on certain materials discussing disordered eating behaviours in the context of recovery, as well as those that feature EDSA, as they may not be suitable for all ages.

"Some videos will not be available to viewers under 18 if you're signed out, or if the video is embedded on another website," the company said.

Further, Youtube has introduced eating disorder crisis resource panels under videos, which are currently available at the top of search results related to eating disorders in the US, UK, India, Canada, Japan, Korea, Mexico, France and Germany, the company said.