YouTube Kids is an app on the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store. The app's purpose is to provide a family-friendly version of YouTube for younger children, with parental control features and video filters. In addition to content from YouTube, there is featured content made specifically for YouTube Kids such as the shows Hyperlinked, Kings of Atlantis, and DanTDM Creates a Big Scene.
Video YouTube Kids
Features
Parental controls
According to Google, there are several ways to instate parental controls. Users can set a timer to limit screen time on the app, turn off the search function so you can only see videos that YouTube Kids have overseen, and YouTube Red subscribers can remove the service from the YouTube Kids app as well. Another feature in YouTube Kids is its limited advertisements. Before each video, there might be an ad intro followed by an ad. In the ad intro, an animated character that helps children understand what a paid ad is, before a paid ad is played. Google says that all their ads on YouTube Kids are family-friendly and never include links to websites.
Parents can set a four-digit passcode on the app for changing settings, and parental controls.
Content
On the home screen of the YouTube Kids app are five categories. The category Shows features shows from kid-friendly YouTube creators. The category Music, will show videos like nursery rhymes, popular music videos for kids, and clips from musicals. The category Learning, will show videos that are tagged with educational content. The category Explore will show content that explores topic the viewer is interested in. The last category, Recommended Videos, will show videos that are recommended based on the viewing history. The category Recommended Videos will only show after the user has watched enough videos for the algorithm to recognize their interests.
The home screen can be customized for three age groups. Preschool, School age, and All Kids. Choosing an age group will customize the home screen with videos targeted at the appropriate age group. The age group setting does not change the results on search. If a user sees content on YouTube Red that is not family appropriate, they can report the content by flagging it.
Search
If the option to search is not blocked via the Parental Controls, users will be able to search through the videos of YouTube Kids. Users may search using their keyboard, or speech-to-text. When searching, if the user has been in the app before, the search bar will make recommendations based on previous content watched. The recommendations only show up if you have not disabled watch and search history in the parental controls.
Some search queries are blocked because of the possibility that the query will bring up inappropriate results. If this happens to a search result, the user will get an error message that says "Try searching for something else!".
Accessibility
On Android, YouTube Kids works with Android's feature system link, to read content for visually-impaired users. Users can also use Android's Explore By Touch feature in TalkBack, to read elements they hover over with their finger. On iOS, YouTube Kids works with Apple's VoiceOver feature. VoiceOver can read an element in YouTube Kids, use speech commands, and use the rotor feature.
YouTube Red
Having YouTube Red on a Google family linked account automatically applies YouTube Red's perks to the YouTube Kids app. YouTube Red in the YouTube Kids App gets rid of ads. It also allows for downloading up to 24 videos on the device for offline watching. It can also allow for being able to watch videos while being in other apps, but the feature is disabled by default.
YouTube Kids on TV
YouTube Kids is currently available on the LG Content Store, the Samsung Apps store, and all Sony TVs except for the Android TV. Some features on the YouTube Kids app are not available with the TV app. These features include parent sign-in, enabling YouTube Red benefits, blocking videos and setting a timer.
Maps YouTube Kids
Programming
Shows created especially for YouTube Kids include:
- The Fab Lab
- Hyperlinked
- Dan TDM Creates a Big Scene
- The Kings of Atlantis
- Fruit Ninja: Frenzy Force
Controversy
YouTube Kids was filed a complaint from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and Center for Digital Democracy saying that kids cannot see the difference between what is and is not an ad. In response to this, YouTube added ad intros.
YouTube Kids was cited by the BBC as having shock videos on the child-targeted platform. YouTube Kids was found to have presented clips with cartoon characters in violent or sexual acts, and most commonly doing it with such characters as Spider-Man and Elsa together, violent Peppa Pig or PAW Patrol, Finger Family videos, fake Wimpy Kid videos that involves the character Greg meeting Spider-Man, and porn videos. YouTube initially suggested turning on "restricted mode" which can be found at the bottom of YouTube pages. As the controversy, often referred to as "Elsagate", mounted, YouTube announced on November 11, 2017 it was strengthening site security to protect children from unsuitable content, and the Kids app would be more tailored to the exact user age. YouTube also asked parents to help flag violent improper videos.
Campaigns
YouTube Kids, on the official World Day of Physical Activity, partnered with the Gasol Foundation to create the "Make It Healthy, Make It Fun" playlist. The playlist included 20 videos that consisted of cartoons and information on exercises and recipes. The initiative was raised because of rising child obesity rates.
References
External links
- Official website
- Website FAQ
Source of article : Wikipedia
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