YouTube announced on Tuesday the launch of a new dedicated section for teen-focused mental health and wellbeing content. This initiative makes it easier for users aged 13 to 17 to find age-appropriate information on topics like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders. When adolescents search for terms like “depression,” a specific row of videos will now appear at the top of the search results. According to YouTube, these videos come from reputable sources and are tailored to the developmental stage of teenagers. The company collaborated with organizations that specialize in mental health and well-being information for young people, such as the Child Mind Institute.
This launch signifies a move toward making YouTube a more trustworthy resource for younger users facing mental health challenges. A 2023 survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 39.7% of students felt ongoing sadness and hopelessness, while 28.5% reported poor mental health. This is a notable addition for the platform as it is important to reach teens where they already seek information. According to the Pew Research Center, nine out of ten teens report that they use YouTube.
Over the years, YouTube has invested in various initiatives to assist teenagers. These include implementing specific safeguards when recommending certain topics to teens, using age-estimation technology to recognize teenage users for a more suitable experience, and providing parental controls that allow parents to link their accounts to their teens’ accounts.
The new mental health and wellbeing offering is rolling out to users in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Mexico, France, and Australia in the coming weeks.