YouTube is setting up guardrails around how many times young users are exposed to potentially harmful content, including videos on topics like body image, to protect teen mental health. 

Starting on Thursday, YouTube will limit how often it repeats video recommendations for teenagers if said videos fall under a category the site deems problematic. The platform partnered with experts on the Youth and Families Advisory Committee to find types of videos that could lead to negative mental health effects over time. 

Affected content “compares physical features and idealizes some types over others, idealizes specific fitness levels or body weights, or displays social aggression in the form of non-contact fights and intimidation.” The categories seem to be centered around body image and possible emotional harm. 

YouTube could be taking proactive action in this space after one of its rivals, social network Meta, was sued last week by 41 U.S. states for allegedly contributing to a widespread youth mental health crisis. Meta countered the complaint by stating that it has already addressed teen mental health with new tools. 

Social media has been linked to higher anxiety levels and lower self-esteem in teens and young adults. 

YouTube will bring its video recommendation restrictions to teenagers in the U.S. first, with plans to expand globally next year.