YouTube To Disable Comments On All Clips Featuring Minors After Pedophiles Force Away Major Brands

The BBC reports:

YouTube says it will switch off comments on almost all videos featuring under-18s, in an attempt to “better protect children and families.” Several brands stopped advertising on YouTube after discovering that pedophiles were leaving predatory comments on videos of children.

YouTube had originally disabled comments on videos that were attracting predatory and obscene comments. But it will now disable comments on almost all videos of minors by default. It said the change would take effect over several months.

In a blog post, YouTube said its new policy meant videos of very young children would automatically have the comments section disabled. The move is likely to include videos of toddlers uploaded by parents, as well as short films featuring children by established YouTube stars.