Sex education against the algorithm: the algorithmically enforced deplatforming of YouTube sex edutainment

Abstract

ABSTRACT Deplatforming of sexual content has increased across social media, usually operationalized by commercially charged, and algorithmically enforced, platform policies. This paper extends work on the algorithmic deplatforming of sex through the case study of how sex education content, or ‘sex edutainment’ on YouTube, is impacted by the platform’s algorithmic structures. Enrolling actor-network theory, we demonstrate the delegation work YouTube enacts through algorithms by presenting empirical findings from a multi-method study examining the assemblage of YouTube, sex edutainment influencers, and young people. The findings highlight that despite YouTube’s curated platform imaginary as an amplifier of voices, algorithmic delegation of platform governance creates significant barriers for influencers creating sex edutainment on YouTube. Although not contravening YouTube’s policies, influencers regularly battle demonetization, age-restrictions and algorithmic bias. This undermines the benefits of sex edutainment by limiting access to content, creates precarious financial environments for influencers and risks erosion of audience trust. Meanwhile, algorithms designed to protect users enact this governance without adequately protecting influencers themselves, predominantly women and LGBTQ+ individuals, from harm. Despite YouTube’s veneer of democratization, the social discourses and protectionist narratives that have destabilized traditional sex education efforts permeate our digital environments and can be seen in the algorithmic enactment of YouTube’s policies.