YouTube rolls out new tools for teens and families, here’s what’s new

New Delhi: YouTube has introduced updates designed to give families and teens more control over their viewing experience on the platform. The changes include new tools for parents, guidance for creators, and improvements to account setup for younger users.

The platform said it has spent more than a decade developing products and protections for its youngest viewers, with a focus on keeping them safe in the digital environment. According to YouTube, parents and experts have consistently highlighted three areas of concern: controls that teach responsible viewing, content that is age-appropriate with stricter safeguards for younger audiences, and account setups that provide a suitable experience for every age group.

New controls allow parents to manage the amount of time teens spend on short-form content, including the ability to set the feed limit to zero if required. Parents of supervised accounts will also be able to set custom Bedtime and Take a Break reminders, supplementing existing wellbeing protections for teen viewers.

YouTube has developed principles and a creator guide to help steer teens towards content that is age-appropriate, engaging, and higher-quality. The guidance was developed in partnership with the Youth Advisory Committee, the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA, and supported by global experts from the American Psychological Association and the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital. 

These principles are intended to educate creators on producing content suitable for teen audiences and are incorporated into the platform’s recommendation system to prioritise high-quality videos, including educational content from sources such as Khan Academy, CrashCourse, and TED-Ed.

The platform is also updating its account setup process to make it easier for parents to create kid accounts and switch between profiles in the mobile app. This change ensures that all family members access content suitable for their age, with relevant settings and recommendations applied.

YouTube said the updates reflect its ongoing effort to provide a safe and supportive environment for teens and families, ensuring that the platform continues to offer age-appropriate content while giving parents practical tools to guide viewing habits.