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YouTube Kids App Still Showing Disturbing Videos (bbc.co.uk)

Posted by msmash on from the algorithms-fail dept.

YouTube says it is "very sorry" after more disturbing videos were found on the YouTube Kids app. From a report: BBC's Newsround found several videos not suitable for children, including one showing how to sharpen knives. Another had characters from children's cartoon Paw Patrol on a burning plane. YouTube has been criticised for using algorithms rather than human curators to decide what appears on YouTube Kids. In 2015, two child safety groups complained after disturbing videos were found on the YouTube Kids app. YouTube said it needed to "do more" to tackle inappropriate videos being seen by children. Newsround had arranged for five children to meet Google's Katie O'Donovan. They spoke about distressing videos they had seen on the main YouTube website and app. The videos included images of clowns with blood on them, scary advertisements and messages telling them someone was at their door.

4 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. You tube video shows how to sharpen knives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    And this is unsuitable for children how?

    1. Re:You tube video shows how to sharpen knives by FictionPimp · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I learned how to use a knife around age 7. I also learned to shoot around then. I whittle with my grandfather and later was basicaly a prep cook at dinner time.

    2. Re:You tube video shows how to sharpen knives by Penguinisto · · Score: 4, Interesting

      1) Rural kids still use them all the time for chores and general things here and there. Knife usage, safety, and care *used* to be part of Cub Scout and Boy Scout lore.

      2) when they get dull. a sharp knife is far safer than a dull one. If you use knives to do more than spread butter on toast, you'd learn this awful quickly.

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  2. Depends on the age by Comboman · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That would depend on the age of the children. Sharpening knives is not a task any responsible parent would assign to a pre-schooler; and pre-schoolers are the target audience of the YouTube Kids app. Older children can easily figure out how to get to the real YouTube and find all the cutlery-based entertainment they want.

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