YouTube is set to implement an update to its policies concerning age restrictions on content that includes video game scenes depicting “graphic violence.” Announced on Tuesday, this update will take effect on November 17th, prohibiting accounts under the age of 18 and users who are not signed in from viewing videos that feature “realistic human characters” engaged in scenes of “mass violence against non-combatants” or torture.
When assessing whether to impose an age restriction on a video, YouTube will consider factors such as the duration of graphic scenes and whether they are the main focus or depicted in a zoomed-in manner. The platform will also evaluate if the violence targets characters resembling real humans. However, it remains unclear if this new standard will affect popular games known for their realistic violence, such as Grand Theft Auto or the Call of Duty series, particularly sequences like the controversial “No Russian” mission.
YouTube spokesperson Boot Bullwinkle indicated that content may be age-restricted if it is non-fleeting or zoomed in. Creators have options to mitigate potential age restrictions by altering the presentation of violent content or by using blurring techniques.
This update builds on YouTube’s existing guidelines, which allow for some dramatized violence in content that is identifiable as fictional, including video games. Currently, YouTube restricts videos that depict severe injuries, torture, or violent deaths but generally permits dramatized violence when it is apparent that the content is not real.
In addition to stricter rules for video game content, the update will also prohibit creators from directing viewers to online gambling content that involves digital goods, such as video game cosmetics or NFTs. Since March, YouTube has restricted mentions of unapproved online gambling services and continues to block access to approved gambling content for users under 18.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/808545/youtube-graphic-video-game-violence-age-restriction