What Is YouTube?
YouTube is a website and app where users post video content for others to see. It is an extremely popular platform and has tons of content including music, videos, TV shows, and movies. There are videos on YouTube covering almost every topic.
YouTube now offers YouTube TV for a subscription fee that users can pay to watch live tv and original content. This is a great alternative for those who do not want a traditional television provider subscription.
YouTube Parental Controls
Because YouTube can be accessed on various devices through the YouTube app or web browsers there are a lot of kids and teens who use the platform to watch videos. YouTube is technically for people who are ages 13 and above, but there are still plenty of kids who use the app.
There is a lot of content on YouTube that is safe for kids and teens, but there is also inappropriate content that is posted on YouTube. There are videos on all sorts of topics, and some of them are not meant for kids to view.
YouTube itself does have built-in parental controls that parents can use to filter out the mature adult content that is posted to the platform. Setting YouTube parental controls can help teens who are using YouTube from seeing the explicit content on YouTube.
Enable Restricted Mode
YouTube has a setting called Restricted Mode that will automatically restrict and filter out inappropriate content YouTube account. Turning on Restricted Mode is a quick and process. First sign-in on the app or the website on the devices that will be using YouTube. Click the profile icon in the corner of the screen. At the bottom, select Restricted Mode and then click Activate Restricted Mode. Make sure to double-check this setting on both the web browser and app to ensure it’s enabled.
YouTube Kids App
For younger kids who are not old enough yet for YouTube, the YouTube Kids App is a great choice that contains kid-friendly content and videos designed for kids. To get started, go to the website for YouTube Kids and select I’m a Parent. Then follow the prompts to begin setting up the account. Have your child select I’m a Kid and login into their own account.
With YouTube Kids, parents will be able to approve content, set certain YouTube restrictions, or block content if they do not want their child to view certain videos. The YouTube Kids App is a great choice for parents who do not want their child to accidentally see adult content that may appear on the regular YouTube site.
Phone Screen Time & App Restriction Settings
On various iOS and Android devices, there are screen time and restriction settings parents can use to control their child’s YouTube use.
iOS Features & Settings:
- Screen Time: Limit and restrict how must time your child spends on the YouTube app.
- App Permissions: Within the Privacy settings, parents can control the permissions of YouTube like accessing the phone’s microphone.
Android Features & Settings:
- App Timers: Set a limit to how long your child can use YouTube every day.
- Google Family Link: With this app, you can oversee your child’s phone and app use, including YouTube. You can set screen time limits and set YouTube Restricted Mode as well.
Google SafeSearch
If your child is often viewing YouTube videos via an online browser, you can enable Google SafeSearch to filter out explicit search results. When enabled, it applies to personal accounts, browsers, and any devices and accounts associated with the Google Family Link app. To view how to set it up, click here.
Keeping Kids Safe on YouTube
YouTube is a popular video service with all kinds of videos that can be viewed by users. There is explicit content on the platform, so parents need to set up parental controls on the app or opt for the YouTube Kids App.