YouTube Kids had been scrutinized in the past for targeting ads at children and for failing to fully control the child’s experience with the app, but that has just changed with a new update rolling out to the mobile tool. The update introduces customized profiles for kids and enhanced security controls for parents.
The new dedicated profile design means each of your kids can now create their own YouTube Kids account that’s tailored based on age so that the landing page displays appropriate content. The update is now going live in 37 countries including the United States, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and New Zealand where YouTube Kids is accessible.
Here’s what has changed with YouTube Kids:
Kid profiles to customize your kids’ experience: Now you can create a profile for each of your kids. Even better, kid profiles work across all different devices!
App design tailored to your kid’s age: When you enter a date of birth on the kid profile, YouTube Kids changes the way the app looks. Younger kids will get less text, while older kids will get more content on the home screens.
A new setup process: The new app parent setup process will give you detailed information to help you make the right choices for your family before your kids use the app.
Passcode for kids: Kids can set a secret passcode to get into their profile (and keep their brother or sister out). Don’t worry, you can always override their passcode.
Keep in mind, though, that while the YouTube Kids’ system is designed to prevent mature content from being shown to kids once they open the video-sharing app, YouTube admits in a blog post that the system is not infallible and can still fail in some instances. The best way to help control your kid’s experience with YouTube is to block a video and report the content for review.
In the near future, YouTube vows to add the ability for parents to provide more relevant content to their kids as part of a broader goal to improve their overall YouTube experience.
Source: YouTube Blog | Image via YouTube Blog