SAN FRANCISCO, California, United States--YouTube on Monday began letting advertisers pinpoint videos to which they do not want to be associated.

YouTube advertisers have been able to pick which videos they want their messages to accompany but the new tool lets them eliminate specific snippets or channels that might be considered by automated ad-targeting software.

"One of the most frequently requested features we've heard from advertisers is the ability to exclude individual videos and channels from the campaigns they run on our site," YouTube senior product manager Baljeet Singh said in a blog post.

He gave examples such as a vegan bakery that might not want its ads to run with video of a culinary show specializing in meat dishes, and beer makers steering clear of videos popular with audiences below the legal drinking age.