YouTube Kids accused of recommending adult content, advertising

YouTube Kids is full of 'disturbing' and 'harmful' content, leading to accusations of poor algorithmic design, inadequate oversight and systemic corporate irresponsibility.

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC), a coalition of children’s and consumers advocacy groups, alleged in a legal complaint that YouTube's content recommendation algorithm quickly exposed children to offensive and explicit sexual language, graphic adult discussions, jokes about paedophilia and drug use, the modelling of unsafe behaviours such as lighting matches, amongst other things. 

The suit also stated that kids were being exposed to alcohol product advertising.

YouTube responded to the CCFC's complaint by saying 'We use a combination of machine learning, algorithms and community flagging to determine content in the YouTube Kids app. The YouTube team is made up of parents who care deeply about this, and are committed to making the app better every day.'

At its launch, product manager Shimrit Ben-Yair had claimed YouTube Kids was the 'first step toward reimagining YouTube for families.'