YouTube is getting ‘supervised’ settings for viewers too old for the Kids app but too young for the main platform

YouTube is getting a new feature that allows parents to supervise what tweens and teens children watch online. While the new family settings are not replacing the YouTube Kids app, it allows the younger audience to explore more media content from Google’s widely used video sharing platform.

Google introduces ‘supervised’ options for tweens and teen YouTube viewers

Google announced this week that a new “supervised experience” is entering the beta phase allowing parents to manage the content their children can access, even outside YouTube Kids app. Three different settings will be introduced through this new feature, namely Explore, Explore More, and Most of YouTube.

The main idea of adding the supervised experience is allowing kids under 13 years old to use the video-sharing app through the main YouTube platform. As the new feature’s name suggests, parents will be given options to somehow manage what kinds of videos will show up to their children’s online feed.

The Explore setting is designed for YouTube viewers ages 9 and above and would allow children to access vlogs, tutorials, gaming videos, music clips, news, and educational videos. This set of videos, plus live streams, will be available through the Explore More setting that Google recommends for viewers ages 13 and above. Lastly, the new supervised experience also offers the Most of YouTube option, which practically allows the younger audience to view almost every video on the platform adhering to existing age restriction policies.

Supervised settings will be introduced as a beta experience. Google’s announcement, however, does not provide a more specific timeline for its official launch.

Google promises more child-friendly YouTube features

As part of launching the supervised settings, Google is also adding more controls on YouTube that will allow parents to review their children’s viewing and search history. The company also reiterated the availability of screen timers and the addition of content blocking options in the future.

Google also said children browsing through the YouTube main platform under supervised settings would not be served with personalized ads. The company will also disable in-app purchases and will restrict kids’ access to online comments.

Since the new supervised settings are not designed to replace the YouTube Kids app, Google revealed plans on how to improve it in the future. The company confirmed that one of the upcoming features would allow parents to select specific videos from the main platform that they would allow their children to view within the Kids app.

Featured photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash