Story perspectives

Study: YouTube Algorithm Serves Teens Harmful Eating-Disorder Videos

7/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

A study found one in ten videos suggested to a 13-year-old on YouTube promote harmful eating-disorder content.
Centre for Countering Digital Hate reported YouTube’s Up Next algorithm pushes eating-disorder videos to teens, prompting Google to remove flagged content.
Ofcom said YouTube and TikTok are not doing enough, while the Online Safety Act, effective July 2025, requires mitigation of algorithmic risks for users under 18 and fines up to 10% of revenue.

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Story summary

A study found one in ten videos suggested to a 13-year-old on YouTube promote harmful eating-disorder content.
Centre for Countering Digital Hate reported YouTube’s Up Next algorithm pushes eating-disorder videos to teens, prompting Google to remove flagged content.
Ofcom said YouTube and TikTok are not doing enough, while the Online Safety Act, effective July 2025, requires mitigation of algorithmic risks for users under 18 and fines up to 10% of revenue.