The kid-friendly, more filtered version of YouTube, YouTube Kids, was launched back in 2015 and now we’re about to see a notable upgrade that will reflect the app’s user base. Kids can now create profiles, customized by their day of birth and additional security features have been added for parents.
While the app has been criticized in the past for failing to lock down the full YouTube experience, it is a safer way for young children to browse, rather than giving them access to the main site. It is designed with kids in mind, featuring a simpler interface, fun music and curated sections of age-appropriate content from the likes of DreamWorks TV, Jim Henson TV, Talking Tom and Friends, National Geographic Kids, and more.
Rather than controlling the app by turning of search capabilities and setting their own private passcode, parents can now sign in using their own Google account to create a customizable profile for their child.
The app will change the way that it looks based on the kids’ age, which will not only be useful for parents with multiple children but brings a fresh look to an app that previously looked like it had been designed for children of a preschool age.
Younger children will now see an interface with less text while older kids will have content on their home screens. Kids with brothers and sisters can set a passcode for their own account, although parents are able to override this.
Parents will also benefit from a new, in depth set up process that will help them to make decisions regarding the parental control options. A longer introduction explains that YouTube does not manually review the videos in YouTube Kids meaning that there is still a chance something inappropriate could slip through its filters. It then details how parents can block and report inappropriate content for it’s swift removal.
YouTube said it is now working on a way for parents to add more content to the app and that it is also looking on an experience aimed toward tweens, focusing on categories that would be well suited to a slightly older demographic.
Although the company cannot guarantee that it is 100% safe, the app has still proven to be popular. It is now live in 37 countries, has more than 11 million weekly active users and has seen more than 70 billion views. At present, these new kids’ profiles are currently only available to select markets, the full list of which can be viewed here.
