YouTube Kids

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YouTube Kids is a video app developed by YouTube. This app provides a child-centered service version, with a choice of curated content, parental control features, and video filtering that are not considered appropriate for the target audience. First released as an Android and iOS mobile app, this app has been released for LG, Samsung, and Sony smart TVs, as well as for Android TV. Starting November 2017, this app is available in 37 countries.

YouTube Kids have faced criticism from advocacy groups, especially the Campaign for Commercial Free Kids, for concerns surrounding the use of commercials by apps, as well as video algorithmic suggestions that may be inappropriate for app target audience (including suggestive and violent video featuring child media franchises ). Critics of the video made YouTube announce that more action would be required to review and filter the video when it was reported by the community, and prevent it from being accessible from within the YouTube Kids app.

Video YouTube Kids

Features

Content

The app is divided into four content categories; "Recommended", "Shows", "Music", and "Learning". These categories display the selection of curated content from channels deemed appropriate for children.

In August 2016, the app was updated to support the YouTube Red subscription service, allowing ad-free playback, background playback and offline playback for subscribers. In February 2017, YouTube Red began introducing original, premium-oriented series on YouTube Kids, including DanTDM Making a Great Scene , Fruit Ninja: Frenzy Force , Hyperlink , and The Kings of Atlantis . In November 2017, the app was updated to add additional user interface modes designed for different age groups, such as a simplified interface for younger children, and a more congested interface designed for older children.

YouTube also presents advocacy campaigns through special playlists featured on YouTube Kids, including "#ReadAlong" (a series of videos, primarily featuring kinetic typography) to promote literacy, "#TodayILearned" (featuring STEM-oriented playlists and videos)) , and "Make It Healthy, Make Fun" (collaboration with Marc and Pau Gasol to promote healthy living and an active lifestyle for children).

Parental control

The YouTube Kids App displays parental control settings that allow parents to set deadlines, and restrict users from accessing the search tool. Parents can use their passcode or Google account to protect these settings, and configure profiles for some users to customize their experience.

Maps YouTube Kids

Reception

The Campaign for Commercial Free Children (CCFC) and the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) both expressed concern over the use of ads in the YouTube Kids app, arguing that children will not be able to distinguish ads from content. Short bumpers are then added to the app to form a separation between ads and content.

In April 2018, a coalition of 23 groups (including CCFC, CDD, and Public Sense Media among others) filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, alleging that the YouTube Kids app collects information from users under the age of 13 without parental consent, Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Filtering problems

The YouTube Kids app has faced criticism for inappropriate video accessibility for its target audience. CCFC filed an FTC complaint against YouTube Kids shortly after its release, citing examples of inappropriate videos accessible through app search tools (such as those related to wine in their tests), and the Recommendation page ends up using search history to bring up the video. YouTube defends criticism, stating that it was developed in consultation with other advocacy groups, and that the company is open to feedback on application operations. The greater YouTube controversy referred to as "Elsagate" has also been associated with apps, referring to channels that post videos featuring characters from popular franchises (such as Frozen , Paw Patrol, < i> Peppa Pig , and Spider-Man among others), but with annoying, nuanced, or inappropriate themes and content.

The head of the global family of YouTube and children's content Malik Ducard acknowledged that "making family friendly apps most important to us", but recognizing that services are not curated at all times, and that parents have a responsibility to use parental control apps to control how used by their children (including disabling access to the search tool). Josh Golin, director of the Campaign for Commercial Commercial Kids, argues that automatic algorithms are not enough to determine if a video is age-appropriate, and that the process requires manual curation. He added that "the YouTube model has created something, which is vast, but there are 400 hours of content uploaded every minute.This is too great.People have raised this issue for years, just visit the parenting forum and they" already talking about a fake Peppa Pig video . "

In November 2017, YouTube announced that it would take further steps to review and filter the videos reported by users because they contained inappropriate content, including stricter use of filtering systems and age restrictions to prevent them from appearing in apps and YouTube that should be. In the update for the Moon Kids YouTube app, a more prominent disclaimer was added to its first setup process, stating that the service can not fully guarantee the unmanaged app's worth of eligibility, and tell parents about how to report and block videos they do not think suitable.