New YouTube mode for parents: YouTube with parent supervision

YouTube is the most popular online service for children and young people. Although the video service is approved for users over the age of 16 according to the terms and conditions, and under-18s generally require the consent of their parents, many younger people also use YouTube without restriction. In the process, they also come into contact with unsuitable videos and comments. In the future, YouTube wants to give parents more opportunities to protect their children from content that is inappropriate for their age. YouTube with parental control is aimed primarily at parents whose children are too old for the YouTube Kids service but too young for unrestricted use of the video service.

New YouTube mode for parents: YouTube with parent supervision

According to the terms and conditions, YouTube is approved for users over the age of 16, while young people under the age of 18 always require the consent of their parents. The use of YouTube from the age of 13 should only be possible if parents create a family account for their children via "Google Family Link". At the same time, however, YouTube is among the most popular online offerings among children and young people. The JIM Study 2020 shows that over half of 12-13 year olds (54%) are on YouTube daily or several times a week. In the 2018 KIM study, 29% of eight- to ten-year-olds and 46% of children aged ten to eleven also said they use YouTube at least once a week. Launched in 2015, the YouTube Kids app is intended to offer children under 13 a child-friendly alternative, but is not well received, especially by older children. The content is primarily aimed at younger children, and video offerings for children over the age of about ten are limited. Google subsidiary YouTube is trying to close this gap in the future.

YouTube with parental control

YouTube has now announced that children will be able to use the video service in future via a so-called Google account with parental control. With the account managed by parents, threecontent settings can be made for older children and teenagers. Parents should thus be able to give their children safe access to the different content on YouTube depending on their age or developmental stage.

  • Discover: According to YouTube, the first setting mode is aimed at children who have outgrown their "YouTube Kids shoes." The "Discover" mode is intended to primarily offer video content for children ages nine and up.
  • Discover more: In the future, this mode will offer content suitable for children aged 13 and up. In addition, unlike the "Discover" mode, live streams can also be followed.
  • Most YouTube content: Young people should be able to access most YouTube content via this setting, except for those with an age restriction of 18 and over.

According to YouTube, which videos are appropriate depending on the setting will be determined through user feedback, machine learning and manual review, and will be constantly adjusted.

YouTube with parental controls will initially be available in a test phase (beta version). An insight into the various setting options, as well as tips for parents in dealing with YouTube, is to be provided in advance in the compact "Family Guide to Parental Control".

More information about YouTube

  • YouTubetopic area
  • klicksafe parent area YouTube for children from 10-16 years old
  • Working material Kosmos YouTube