Got a question for the group. Our 5 year old has been asking to watch YouTube Kids and we're torn on it. We've read mixed stuff online about recommendations and what supposedly creeps through. We'd be supervising and limiting to 30 mins a day max. Are we overthinking this or should we be more concerned? What do other parents do with this app?
Not being naive at all. YouTube Kids has solid parental controls. Just keep an eye on screen time and maybe review what he's watching every once in a while. I've caught a couple odd videos slip through but nothing terrible.
Not naive at all. The answer is somewhere in the middle. YouTube Kids is better than regular YouTube but it's still designed to keep engagement high. Use it sparingly and keep an eye on what he's watching. That's how we handle it with our 5 year old.
Honestly? It's safer than regular YouTube but I wouldn't call it completely naive to use it. The algorithm still finds some weird stuff sometimes. Set time limits and maybe watch with him the first time.
The safe part depends on your comfort level honestly. YouTube Kids filters better than the regular app but algorithm stuff still gets through. We let our 5yo use it maybe twice a week for 20 minutes max.
Honestly I think YouTube Kids is safer than regular YouTube but there's a reason they have it as a separate app. The algorithm still recommends stuff based on watch history and we've seen some weird tangents. Set up those parental controls and check his watch history regularly.
We struggled with this too. YouTube Kids does have more filters than regular YouTube but it's not perfect. Some stuff still slips through. We ended up using it but only with us in the room and limiting it to specific shows we've already approved.
At 5 years old, honestly just be careful. Some stuff marketed for kids on YouTube is still pretty intense or full of subtle ads. Maybe start with some of the established kid channels on the app and whitelist them instead of letting the algorithm run the show.
Sign in to join the conversation.
We use it but with heavy restrictions. YouTube Kids is better than regular YouTube but it's not a perfect filter. I'd say spot check what he's actually watching for the first few weeks to get comfortable with it.