YouTube Kids facts for kids
Logo as of 2019
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Screenshot of the home page of YouTube Kids
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Type of site
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Video hosting service |
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| Founded | February 24, 2015 |
| Headquarters |
United States
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| Area served | See list |
| Owner | Alphabet, Inc. |
| Key people | Neal Mohan (CEO) |
| Industry |
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| Parent | Google (through YouTube LLC) |
| IPv6 support | Yes |
| Advertising | Google AdSense |
| Current status | Active |
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Content license
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Proprietary |
YouTube Kids is a special video app and website made by YouTube, which is part of Google. It's designed just for kids, offering videos that are chosen carefully. The app also has tools for parents to control what their children watch. It filters out videos that are not right for kids under 13. This follows a rule called the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which stops regular YouTube from showing ads to young children.
YouTube Kids first came out on February 24, 2015, as an app for Android and iOS phones and tablets. Since then, it has become available on many smart TVs like LG, Samsung, and Sony. It also launched on Apple TV on May 27, 2020. By September 2019, the app was available in 69 countries. A website version of YouTube Kids also launched on August 30, 2019.
YouTube Kids has faced some concerns from groups that protect children. They worried about ads shown on the app. They also had concerns about the app's suggestions, which sometimes showed videos that were not suitable for kids. These issues included disturbing or violent videos that looked like they were for children. Because of these concerns, YouTube announced it would work harder to check and filter videos. They wanted to make sure these kinds of videos could not be seen on the YouTube Kids app.
Contents
What YouTube Kids Offers
How Content is Organized
The YouTube Kids app has four main sections for videos. These are "Recommended," "Shows," "Music," and "Learning." Each section features videos from channels that are considered safe and good for children.
In August 2016, the app was updated to work with YouTube Premium (which used to be called YouTube Red). This allowed people who paid for the service to watch videos without ads. They could also play videos in the background or download them to watch later without internet. In February 2017, YouTube started making its own special shows just for YouTube Kids. Some of these shows included DanTDM Creates a Big Scene and Kings of Atlantis. YouTube also used the app to promote good causes. For example, they had a "#ReadAlong" series to help kids with reading. They also had "#TodayILearned" for science and math videos. Another campaign, "Make it Healthy, Make it Fun," worked with athletes to encourage healthy living.
In November 2017, the app got new ways to look, depending on a child's age. There was a simpler look for younger kids. A more detailed look was added for older children.
Age Groups for Content
In September 2018, YouTube added new age group choices for the content. These were "Younger" and "Older." The "Younger" setting kept the same mix of videos that were already there. The "Older" setting added more videos from other areas, like nature, gaming, and music. In August 2019, the "Younger" setting was split again. A new "Preschool" group was added. This group focused on videos that encourage creativity, play, learning, and exploring.
Parental Controls and Safety
The YouTube Kids app has special settings that parents can use. These parental controls let parents set limits on how long their kids can watch videos. They can also stop kids from using the search tool. Parents can use a secret code or their Google account to protect these settings. They can also set up different profiles for each child. This way, each child gets a viewing experience that is right for them.
It was announced on February 27, 2024, that the YouTube Kids app on TV would be closing on July 1, 2024.
Where YouTube Kids is Available
YouTube Kids is available in many countries around the world. The table below shows where the app, website, and TV versions are available.
YouTube Kids is also available in the Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Haiti, Moldova, Montenegro, Puerto Rico, and Tajikistan.
See also
In Spanish: YouTube Kids para niños
