YouTube Still Recommending Eating Disorder Videos to Teens, Research Finds

New research from the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) highlights the ongoing failure of social media giants like YouTube to protect vulnerable users: teenagers. A year after new rules were introduced to curb harmful online content, YouTube’s Up Next algorithm is still recommending eating disorder videos to teenage viewers.

The CCDH’s study found that one in 10 videos recommended by YouTube’s algorithm featured thinspiration, extreme calorie restriction, or other harmful material. While this represents an improvement over previous years, it’s a staggering number given the company’s repeated promises to prioritize user safety. The Online Safety Act, which came into force last July, placed a legal duty on sites like YouTube to protect under-18s from dangerous content.

YouTube continues to fall short of its obligations. The CCDH’s research highlights the urgent need for stronger protections and more effective regulation. For teenagers like Jazmin Kaur, who was diagnosed with anorexia at 13, this is a matter of life and death. “Every time I left hospital, I’d have my phone with me and I’d constantly be on it,” she said. “I was fed such extreme content towards the end that I took it for my own vulnerabilities.”

Jazmin’s experience is not unique. According to Beat, a leading eating disorder charity, about 90% of people they speak to report encountering harmful content online. Social media algorithms can play a significant role in pushing vulnerable individuals towards harm. The CCDH’s study also highlights the limitations of YouTube’s crisis panels, which are meant to direct users to reputable support services when they view sensitive topics.

YouTube prohibits content that encourages or provides instructions on eating disorders, but its efforts feel like empty gestures given the company’s history of failing to prioritize user safety. The fact remains that social media companies are still not doing enough to keep young people safe online. The CCDH’s research is a stark reminder of this failure, and it’s time for policymakers and regulators to take action.

The government has already signaled its intention to crack down on companies that fail to prioritize user safety. It’s time for social media companies like YouTube to take responsibility for their actions and commit to real change. The future of online safety depends on it.