Fury as YouTube Kids channel aimed at children features gun guide

A YouTube app for children as young as three has attracted fury after a video showing how to build air guns was found on the platform. 

The four-minute guide to making an air rifle out of a pipe and plastic bottle, which had been viewed 3.6 million times, could be found on YouTube Kids by searching for ‘gun’.

In the video – titled ‘Homemade Air Gun — How To Make EASY Airgun’ – a man in a bomber jacket gives a step-by-step guide on how to construct the weapon before firing it at cans. 

The four-minute guide to making an air rifle out of a pipe and plastic bottle, which had been viewed 3.6 million times, could be found on YouTube Kids by searching for ‘gun’

In the video - titled 'Homemade Air Gun ¿ How To Make EASY Airgun' - a man in a bomber jacket gives a step-by-step guide on how to construct the weapon before firing it at cans

In the video – titled ‘Homemade Air Gun — How To Make EASY Airgun’ – a man in a bomber jacket gives a step-by-step guide on how to construct the weapon before firing it at cans

One campaigner told The Sun it was a 'deplorable' video, adding: 'No one should be allowed to put videos on YouTube showing children how to make air weapons'

One campaigner told The Sun it was a ‘deplorable’ video, adding: ‘No one should be allowed to put videos on YouTube showing children how to make air weapons’

YouTube Kids, which has more than 70 billion views, includes an option to narrow the search field and thus exclude much of the unsuitable content - though many parents would not know how to select it 

YouTube Kids, which has more than 70 billion views, includes an option to narrow the search field and thus exclude much of the unsuitable content – though many parents would not know how to select it 

One campaigner told The Sun it was a ‘deplorable’ video, adding: ‘No one should be allowed to put videos on YouTube showing children how to make air weapons.’

Chrissie Hall, from Gun Control Network, also mentioned Ben Wragge, a 13-year-old boy who died after being shot with an air rifle in Suffolk two years ago.    

The video has since been removed, but Tory MP Andrew Bridge said it was ‘highly irresponsible’ for YouTube Kids to have ever featured the video. 

A Government spokesman, meanwhile, said online platforms are expected to have ‘robust processes in place’. 

But it was not the only video likely to cause concern among parents whose children use the app. 

Videos were found featuring paedophiles Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris making TV appearances.

Another video showed American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones discussing transgenderism in a ‘rant’ subtitled: ‘Leave My Children Alone!’. 

A video was found featuring paedophiles Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris making TV appearances. Pictured: Savile marking 20 years of Jim'll Fix It 

A video was found featuring paedophiles Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris making TV appearances. Pictured: Savile marking 20 years of Jim’ll Fix It 

Rolf Harris with children on an episode of the ITV series ‘Rolf’s Cartoon Club’ from the 1990s, which was found on YouTube Kids

Yet another post featured claims that Neil Armstrong saw aliens when he landed on the moon in 1969. 

YouTube Kids, which has more than 70 billion views, includes an option to narrow the search field and thus exclude much of the unsuitable content. 

But this option is not necessarily guaranteed to be checked by all parents whose children have the app. 

YouTube’s main site has already announced that it will remove videos showing children’s TV characters in violent, edited scenes.

Videos have previously been found showing Peppa Pig drinking bleach.     



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk