YouTube’s paedophile problem is only a small part of the internet’s issue with child sexual abuse

YouTube has, yet again, failed to protect children online. Recent investigations by Wired and video blogger Matt Watson have alleged that paedophiles were using the site’s comments section to leave predatory messages on videos containing and uploaded by children, and to share links to child sexual abuse material, writes Belinda Winder and Hany Farid.

In response to the investigations – and the threat of an advertiser boycott – YouTube has now said it will disable comments on videos containing young children. But sadly, this is not an isolated incident.