YouTube is testing blurred thumbnails for ‘mature content’

A tiny fig of YouTube viewers volition present spot blurred thumbnails for definite hunt query results. | Screenshot: YouTube

YouTube has announced a caller experimental diagnostic that’s “aimed astatine providing safer hunt experiences for each users.” The work volition statesman blurring the thumbnails successful hunt results for immoderate queries “that often see intersexual themes.” According to a recent update successful the Community conception of YouTube’s Help Center website, the diagnostic is presently being rolled retired to a tiny percent of viewers.

There are nary specifics astir what intersexual themes whitethorn trigger a hunt to instrumentality a database of videos with blurred thumbnails, but YouTube says the video’s title, transmission name, and its statement volition stay visible. Viewers volition besides person the enactment to unblur thumbnails.

The extremity of the constricted trial rollout is to “understand whether this benignant of diagnostic helps users debar accidentally viewing contented that follows YouTube’s Community Guidelines but whitethorn beryllium delicate successful nature.” But dissimilar SafeSearch that tin some blur and filter retired results connected Google’s hunt engine, YouTube’s caller experimental diagnostic won’t omit results. In its existent signifier it’s alternatively designed to supply an other furniture of extortion that prevents younger oregon unsuspecting users from instantly being presented with contented that whitethorn beryllium inappropriate.