Video content restrictions on social media: Symbolic gestures as teens risk a body image crisis

By Manoshij Banerjee, independent consultant on digital workplace and culture, and Mohammed Shahid Abdulla, faculty member, IIM Kozhikode

In November 2023, YouTube announced restrictions on fitness and body-image content for teenage users. Rather than outright bans, the platform limited “body shaming” and “non-contact aggression” videos to single appearances in automated feeds or doom scroll. By late 2024, these restrictions went global for registered 13-to-17-year-olds.

This aligns with broader governmental action. Australia banned social media for under-16s in 2023, Spain mandated parental consent for under-14s, and legislators from South Korea to the UK are pushing age verification laws. This reflects a growing consensus that digital platforms pose significant psychological risks to 12-18 year-olds.

While seemingly positive, closer examination reveals these moves may be more symbolic than substantive. The policy acknowledges online content’s impact on adolescent well-being but sidesteps platforms’ deeper structural incentives to maintain engagement, even at ...