Andrew Pierce exasperated by YouTube’s fitness ‘censoring’ decision: ‘For heaven’s sake!’

YouTube’s global head of health, Dr Garth Graham, told The Guardian: “As a teen is developing thoughts about who they are and their own standards for themselves, repeated consumption of content featuring idealised standards that starts to shape an unrealistic internal standard could lead some to form negative beliefs about themselves.”

Experts on YouTube’s youth and families advisory committee are said to had advised that certain categories may be “innocuous” as a single video could be “problematic” if viewed repeatedly.

The new guidelines have been introduced in the UK and around the world, and relates to content that idealises some physical features over others.

The newly introduced Online Safety Act requires tech companies to protect children from harmful content, meaning YouTube is being forced to rethink how youngsters use its platform.