Kids Videos Found With Suicide Instructions
YouTube Kids is something I pull up for my family, but what some parents have just discovered, is beyond horrifying. Several parents have discovered disturbing videos on the site, ones making us all wonder how safe this 'kids' platform is.
The videos in question have a 9-second clip edited into them of a man giving advice on how to properly slit your wrists, according to KWQC-TV 6 news.
“Remember kids: sideways for attention, longways for results. End it.”
This sickens me. Parents not watching closely could easily miss the message because it quickly returns to what looks like a regular video.
Mom and pediatrician Free Hess posted the clip to her PediMom website and social media accounts.
The original video has since been removed from YouTube and YouTube Kids, but there’s nothing stopping someone from posting another like it.
The website for YouTube Kids promises “A safer online experience for kids.”
We use a mix of filters, user feedback and human reviewers to keep the videos in YouTube Kids family friendly. But no system is perfect and inappropriate videos can slip through, so we’re constantly working to improve our safeguards and offer more features to help parents create the right experience for their families
YouTube Kids
"Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death in individuals between the ages of 10 and 34 and the numbers of children exhibiting some form of self-harm is growing rapidly,” Hess said. “Every year 157,000 young people between the ages of 10 and 24 present to Emergency Departments for self-inflicted injuries and/or suicide attempts.”
She said it’s important for parents to educate themselves and be vigilant in monitoring what your kids or grandkids watch. Always report inappropriate content to social media platforms, so it can be pulled.