YouTube still recommends eating disorder videos to teens
Research shows YouTube recommends eating disorder videos to teenagers despite implementing strict platform safety rules
YouTube is recommending eating disorder videos to teens despite introducing new platform rules designed to curb harmful content online. A study by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) used a simulated account of a 13-year-old girl viewing unsafe diet and body image content for the first time to test the platform. The organisation discovered that the automated algorithm quickly began steering the simulated user toward harmful material.
The BBC reported that approximately one in ten recommended videos featured thinspiration, extreme calorie restriction, or other hazardous content. While this represents an improvement from the one-in-four ratio recorded in 2024, researchers emphasised that even a single recommendation is too many. The findings indicate that parent company Google is failing to meet its public commitments to protect young users, which follows a warning from regulator Ofcom that YouTube and TikTok are not doing enough to keep children safe.
The investigation revealed that YouTube is inconsistently applying its crisis resource panels, which are supposed to appear alongside sensitive search terms. None of the 34 harmful videos identified during the test triggered a safety panel. In response, a YouTube spokeswoman stated that the wellbeing of viewers remains the top priority of the platform, noting that the company collaborates with mental health experts to refine its approach.
Since July 2025, social media platforms have faced legal obligations to protect users under the age of 18 from content promoting self-harm, eating disorders, and suicide. Technology companies that fail to comply with these regulations risk severe financial penalties, including fines of up to 10% of their annual global revenue. The pressure on these services continues to mount after the United Kingdom government announced plans in June to implement an Australia-style social media ban for children under 16, which could restrict teenagers from accessing platforms like YouTube entirely.