YouTube announced that it will begin cracking down and removing videos that promote "harmful or dangerous content" and told content creators that they have a two month grace period to delete any videos which violate their updated community guidelines.
The move comes after the #BirdBoxChallenge went viral. The #BirdBoxChallenge, which was inspired by the Netflix film Bird Box, saw people attempting to do everyday things while blindfolded. In one instance, a teenager crashed his car while doing the potentially dangerous challenge.
YouTube said that the decision was not based on any single event or video and has been in the works for several months.
"We’ve always had policies to make sure what’s funny doesn’t cross the line into also being harmful or dangerous. Our Community Guidelines prohibit content that encourages dangerous activities that are likely to result in serious harm, and today clarifying what this means for dangerous challenges and pranks," the streaming site explained.
According to YouTube, the new rules will include any videos where unsuspecting members of the public believe they are in harm's way and videos which "cause children to experience severe emotional distress."
After two months, YouTube said it will delete any offending videos and give the content creators one strike. If they receive three strikes within a three-month period their channel will be subject to termination.
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