MARS and Lidl have announced they will pull adverts from YouTube following chilling claims that paedophiles use the site to target kids.

The move comes after the video streaming site was warned it was in danger of becoming a "sweet shop for paedophiles" that profits off advertisements on sick videos of kids.

6 Youtube has been criticised for allowing inappropriate content to be shared Credit: Alamy

Mars and Lidl are among the big brands to announce they are pulling their advertising from YouTube on Black Friday.

Mars said it was "shocked and appalled" to see its adverts next to "exploitative and inappropriate content".

While Lidl said it was "shocked and disturbed" by an investigation by The Times and BBC News that revealed tens of thousands of predatory accounts were leaving indecent comments on videos of kids - some even encouraging youngsters to perform sexual acts.

YouTube's systems for flagging inappropriate and predatory comments have been blasted as ineffective amid predictions at least 50,000 users are posting such content.

6 Mars said it was 'shocked and appalled' to see its adverts next to inappropriate content Credit: Corbis

6 Lidl has said it is 'shocked and disturbed' by the results of investigations Credit: PA:Press Association

Tim Loughton, a Tory member of the home affairs select committee, told The Times: "Yet again it appears that YouTube’s rhetoric about taking child safeguarding seriously nowhere matches its actions.

"Their platforms are in danger of being used as a sweet shop for paedophiles."

The clips can attract millions of views, with people able to watch young girls in their underwear, in bed and doing the splits.

Many appear to have been posted by innocent children, but the investigation revealed they are being shared widely by predators who flock watch such videos.

One video highlighted by The Times showed a girl in pants and a vest sat on a bed filled with cuddly toys.

A comment on it read: “I would like to kiss your fragrant panties.”

It has also been revealed that those who publish videos are paid for advertising - with a creator typically receiving 55 per cent of all revenue, with the remainder going to Youtube.

6 YouTube has said it is working urgently to fix the problem Credit: AFP or licensors

6 Adidas said the situation was 'completely unacceptable' Credit: Alamy

Big names including BT, Adidas, eBay, Amazon, Mars and Talktalk had been slammed for allowing their advertisements to run before the clips - but many have already yanked their campaigns from Youtube.

Mars said: "We are shocked and appalled to see that our adverts have appeared alongside such exploitative and inappropriate content.

"It is in stark contrast to who we are and what we believe.

"We have taken the decision to immediately suspend all our online advertising on YouTube and Google globally.

"We have stringent guidelines and processes in place and are working with Google and our media buying agencies to understand what went wrong.

"Until we have confidence that appropriate safeguards are in place, we will not advertise on YouTube and Google."

6 Amazon was also named as a company that had advertisements used in the exploitative content Credit: Alamy

Adidas said the situation was “completely unacceptable”, with Diageo issuing an "immediate stop" on their advertising.

Tony Stower, public and policy affairs manager at the NSPCC, said: "This is yet another example of why it is not good enough for sites like YouTube to be marking their own homework.

"Government intervention is vital to protect children from the moment they sign up to social networks."

A spokesperson for YouTube said: “There shouldn’t be any ads running on this content and we are working urgently to fix this.

"Over the past year, we have been working to ensure that YouTube is a safe place for brands.

"While we have made significant changes in product, policy, enforcement and controls, we will continue to improve."

It comes after it was revealed children are being "exploited" by parents who film them in discomfort and pain.

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While many of the videos targeted at children are perfectly innocent, some disturbing clips are cropping up on YouTube.

Among them are vlogs, starring children but filmed and set-up by parents, where kids are visibly in distress, being sick or are in pain.

A dad was also disgusted after his three-year-old son inadvertently watched a fake episode of Peppa Pig featuring a paedophile dentist and mentions of a "plastic penis".

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