A group of 16 congressional Democrats wrote a letter to YouTube’s CEO, urging him to better enforce the company’s own policy regarding content with guns. The lawmakers want YouTube to make it harder for children and teens to find the content, which the company bans for users under 18.
The letter was reported by the Gothamist.
“We hope that this will not only cause YouTube to very quickly correct any lack of enforcement, but will also be a message to other social media and digital media sites that they must enforce their own policies,” Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., told the outlet.
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It is easy to find videos on YoutTube that show viewers how guns are assembled, used and manufactured. The videos can be found by both adults and teens.
YouTube policy includes an age restriction for videos that show homemade and automatic weapons being fired, and content with accessories that convert guns into automatic weapons, high-capacity magazines and suppressors.
The letter cited research from the Tech Transparency Project in which a 14-year-old made a new Gmail account and corresponding YoutTube account.
When the user searched the term “glock” the results included a video titled “Glock with the switch.” The switch device allows the weapon to fire like a machine gun. The pistol in the video also appeared to have a high-capacity magazine, which is age-restricted according to YouTube policy.
When the 14-year-old user kept searching other terms related to glock, they got even more videos showing the gun being fired after it was converted into an automatic weapon.
“TTP quickly discovered deficiencies in YouTube’s implementation of its new age restrictions, particularly with YouTube Shorts,” the report stated.
YouTube did not comment on the Tech Transparency Project research. Straight Arrow News will update this story if the company responds to the new letter from lawmakers.
