YouTube will give parents new ways to control the content their children have access to
YouTube has announced the imminent launch of its Supervised Experiences program, which will give parents a convenient way to control what YouTube content and features their children can access. According to a post on the official blog, YouTube hopes that the new filters will help gradually introduce age-appropriate content to kids too old for YouTube Kids.
The program will enter the stage of public beta testing in the coming months. Once deployed, parents will choose from three levels of filtering severity that define the content that the child can access from their account. The strictest filter, Explore, is suitable for children aged nine and over. Explore More will provide access to content suitable for children aged 13 and older. The Most of YouTube filter will allow you to view any content that does not have age restrictions.
YouTube has not yet specified exactly what content will be available using each of the filtering levels but said Explore would provide access to video blogs, tutorials, game videos, music videos, news, educational content, and more. The Explore More level will also allow you to view live broadcasts belonging to the categories available when using Explore. As for Most of YouTube, the company says the filter will allow videos containing sensitive topics that are only suitable for older teens to watch.
YouTube admits that even such a filtering system will not completely protect a child from inappropriate content but will significantly reduce the likelihood of stumbling upon inappropriate videos. Thus, this decision will continue to require vigilance from parents. As for YouTube Kids, the company still recommends it as a solution for young children.
