YouTube on Tuesday announced the launch of a new dedicated section for teen-focused mental health and well-being content, making it easier for users ages 13 to 17 to find age-appropriate information on topics such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders.
When teens search for terms like “depression” in the search bar, a specific row of videos appears at the top of the results. According to YouTube, these videos come from trusted sources and are tailored to the developmental stage of teens. The company collaborated with organizations that specialize in information about young people’s mental health and wellbeing, such as the Child Mind Institute.
The launch marks an effort to make YouTube a trusted resource for young users facing mental health issues. According to a 2023 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 39.7% of students report persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness, and 28.5% report poor mental health.
This is a notable addition for the platform, as nine out of teens report using the platform, according to the Pew Research Center, and it’s important to reach teens who are already seeking out information such as YouTube.
Over the years, YouTube has invested in a variety of initiatives to help teenagers. This includes implementing certain safeguards when recommending certain topics to teens, using age estimation technology to recognize teen users for a more relevant experience, and providing parental controls that allow parents to link their account to their teen’s account.
This new mental health and wellbeing service will be rolled out to users in the US, UK, Canada, Mexico, France and Australia in the coming weeks.
