Navigating the digital space for our children isn't easy. After all, there's no model to follow as the amount of small screen time (i.e. mobile devices and tablets), has practically doubled for younger children in just six years. And while it's likely this trend isn't going to wind down any time soon, at least major purveyors of digital content are trying to help parents manage it.
YouTube recently updated the security feature on its YouTube Kids app to make controlling what young kids watch a lot easier.
The new controls allow parents to approve only certain channels and individual videos kids are allowed to watch.
Parents can go into their child's profile settings and select “approved content only.” Then they can pick videos by pressing the “+” button.
“Parents can also search for a specific creator or video,” YouTube noted on its blog. “If parents choose to enable this mode, their kids will not be able to search for content on their own.”
The settings currently only work with Android, but will be coming soon to iOS.
YouTube also announced it has a new user experience geared toward kids 8 to 12.
The new content experience has age-appropriate music and gaming options. Parents are also being given the tools to control this. After reviewing the new material and deciding it’s appropriate for their kids, they can ensure their kids are bored (and protected) by selecting “Older” when setting up a new or updating an existing profile. If not, the default “Younger” version is in play.
Monitoring your kids activity online can feel like a full-time job.
Any upfront help apps can provide is a welcome reprieve.
