YouTube is reportedly planning to revise its policy on videos with guns in the US. This change is expected to prevent potentially perilous content from reaching underage users. In a blog post, the Google-owned video-sharing platform announced that it will ban any videos showing how to remove security features on firearms. Additionally, videos featuring homemade firearms, automatic weapons and certain firearm accessories such as silencers will only be available to users who are 18 years of age or older. The company noted that these changes will come into effect on June 18.
Why YouTube is changing its policies
This policy change follows repeated calls from gun safety advocates for the platform to take more action to keep gun-related videos from being accessible to juvenile users. Supporters have expressed concerns that such content could traumatize children or lead them to extremism and violence.
YouTube said the policy changes were intended to reflect modern developments. This includes 3D printed weapons, which have become more available in recent years. The Company requires that users under 17 years of age obtain parental consent to exploit the site, and the accounts of users under 13 years of age be linked to a parental account.
If any video violates these policies, YouTube will remove the content and send the account owner a notification email. After 3 warnings within 90 days, the channel will be closed.
YouTube’s AI-generated content policy
To combat disinformation, YouTube introduced a modern tool in November 2023. The tool required creators to clearly label any portions of their content that were created using AI.
In March, the company announced: “We are introducing a modern tool in Creator Studio that requires creators to disclose to viewers when realistic content – content that a viewer could easily mistake for a real person, place or event – is being created using altered or synthetic media, including generative artificial intelligence.”
However, content creators will not have to disclose whether they have used generative AI to augment productivity, such as content ideas, script generation or automatic captioning.
Why YouTube is changing its policies
This policy change follows repeated calls from gun safety advocates for the platform to take more action to keep gun-related videos from being accessible to juvenile users. Supporters have expressed concerns that such content could traumatize children or lead them to extremism and violence.
YouTube said the policy changes were intended to reflect modern developments. This includes 3D printed weapons, which have become more available in recent years. The Company requires that users under 17 years of age obtain parental consent to exploit the site, and the accounts of users under 13 years of age be linked to a parental account.
If any video violates these policies, YouTube will remove the content and send the account owner a notification email. After 3 warnings within 90 days, the channel will be closed.
YouTube’s AI-generated content policy
To combat disinformation, YouTube introduced a modern tool in November 2023. The tool required creators to clearly label any portions of their content that were created using AI.
In March, the company announced: “We are introducing a modern tool in Creator Studio that requires creators to disclose to viewers when realistic content – content that a viewer could easily mistake for a real person, place or event – is being created using altered or synthetic media, including generative artificial intelligence.”
However, content creators will not have to disclose whether they have used generative AI to augment productivity, such as content ideas, script generation or automatic captioning.