Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- YouTube has started testing a new feature that automatically blurs thumbnails for videos featuring mature content.
- The experimental feature is available to a few users and works only on videos that appear as search results for queries that include sexual themes.
- Instagram has had a similar feature for years that automatically blurs images and Reels featuring sensitive content.
YouTube is borrowing a page from Instagram’s handbook to protect users from accidental exposure to mature content. The platform has started testing a new feature that automatically blurs thumbnails for videos that may contain sexually explicit content.
YouTube says this experimental feature aims to provide a safer search experience for all users. It is currently available to a small percentage of viewers and only blurs thumbnails for videos that appear in search results for queries that “frequently include sexual themes.” YouTube has clarified that the feature does not hide the video title, channel name, and description, and even offers users an option to unblur the thumbnails.
With this test, YouTube aims to “understand whether this type of feature helps users avoid accidentally viewing content that follows YouTube’s Community Guidelines but may be sensitive in nature.” Instagram has had a similar feature for several years now. It automatically blurs images and Reel thumbnails for content it deems sensitive, and shows users a sensitive content warning over blurred images and thumbnails with an option to view the photos or Reels.
YouTube will likely have a similar interface for the feature. However, since the platform has only extended it to a handful of users, we can’t confirm what it looks like. If the experimental feature is live on your YouTube account, drop a comment with a screenshot of the blurred thumbnail and any content warning that may appear alongside it.
It’s not immediately clear if YouTube plans to extend the feature beyond search results and blur thumbnails for sensitive videos on your home page. We’re also unsure if the feature will work on videos that may not qualify as mature content but feature NSFW thumbnails. We expect the company to share more details after gathering feedback from users in the initial test.
