YouTube toughens policy on gun videos and youth; critics say proof will be in enforcement

By DAVID KLEPPER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — YouTube is changing its rules to protect its youngest users from potentially harmful firearm videos. The video sharing platform owned by Google says that starting later this month it will prohibit videos that demonstrate how to remove firearm safety devices. Videos showing homemade guns, automatic weapons and certain firearm accessories like silencers will be restricted to users 18 and older. Last year, researchers found YouTube was automatically recommending graphic videos of gun violence to young users, despite the platform’s own rules which ban gory content. Critics say the new rules won’t mean much if they’re not effectively enforced by YouTube.