YouTube announced this week that it will implement new restrictions on the types of gun-related videos that can appear on the video-sharing platform, including a ban on videos that directly promote gun sales and a new 18+ limit on videos about 3D-printed guns. And, as you can imagine, the people who make 3D printed weapons are often called ghost gunare not satisfied with this.
The new policy will not apply to artistic representations of guns in media such as video games, and YouTube notes that public interest videos will largely not be restricted, including content involving “military or police footage, news footage, or combat zone footage.” However, if your YouTube channel is dedicated to showcasing the shooting capabilities of your latest 3D-printed gun, it will quickly become age-restricted.
YouTube said that starting on June 18, any instructions on the video platform regarding the removal of safety devices and the display of automatic firearms and various gun accessories will also become 18+ content. its announcement.
One of the more popular 3D printed weapons accounts (named Print Shoot Repeat) posted videos on: X and Youtube Talk about new rules. The anonymous creator behind Print Shoot Repeat even pointed out how he was named in the report by the advocacy group Everytown, which facilitated the policy change in the first place, prompting him to change his account name on YouTube to PSR.
The creator of Print Shoot Repeat claims in the video that, according to YouTube analytics, people under the age of 18 make up only 1.4% of his channel’s viewers. Gizmodo could not independently verify the numbers.
The creator said it wouldn’t matter if his channel lost viewers under the age of 18, as the majority of viewers are adults. But his videos will still be buried under the algorithm because they won’t be displayed in the same way, and they won’t be visible to anyone who isn’t logged into a YouTube account.
Print Shoot Repeat is also frustrated by the lack of age restrictions on newsreels and war films.
“So people in the trenches in Ukraine were killed by drones? Ha, no age limit at all. “I fired off a 3D printed pink Glock I made? There is an age limit. We don’t need kids watching this. We Hope the kids get to see people getting killed by landmines. Amazing.
YouTube told Gizmodo that the policy change regarding 3D-printed guns is because the field of 3D printing has changed dramatically in a relatively short period of time.
“These gun policy updates are part of our ongoing efforts to maintain policies that reflect the current state of YouTube content,” company spokesman Javier Hernandez told Gizmodo via email. “For example, in recent years, 3D Printing is becoming more accessible, so we’re expanding our restrictions on content involving homemade firearms. We regularly review our guidelines and consult with outside experts to make sure we draw the line in the right places.
