From Harmless to Harmful: YouTube’s Slippery Slope and How to Grip It.

YouTube has some awesome content. My kid loves learning about simple engineering and watching cartoons from my childhood. We learn about outer space and the life cycle of bees.

The abundance of great videos on YouTube is a double-edged sword. There is such an enormous amount of content being uploaded each minute, that it is not possible for YouTube to properly monitor everything.

As a publicly traded company with shareholders, they are legally obligated to make money. If they monitor and restrict content at the rate we need them to, their business wouldn’t be as profitable. If they aren’t making decisions based on profitability, their shareholders can sue them.

1. YouTube Kids App

Steps:

a) Download the YouTube Kids app from your device's app store

b) Open the app and tap "Get Started"

c) Sign in with your Google account

d) Set up a profile for your child, including their age

e) Choose content settings: Preschool, Younger, or Older

f) Enable/disable search function as desired

g) Set up a parent passcode for additional controls

2. Supervised Accounts

Steps:

a) Go to families.youtube.com on a computer

b) Click "Get Started" and sign in to your Google account

c) Choose a content setting: Explore, Explore More, or Most of YouTube

d) Follow the prompts to create a supervised Google Account for your child

e) Help your child sign in to YouTube with their new account

3. Restricted Mode

Steps:

a) Open YouTube on a browser or the app

b) Click on your profile picture

c) Select "Restricted Mode" at the bottom of the menu

d) Toggle Restricted Mode on

e) Repeat on all devices your child uses

Quick Tips:

• Review these settings regularly

• Teach your child about online safety

• Monitor your child's viewing habits

• Use YouTube alongside your child when possible

Remember, no system is perfect. Stay involved in your child's online activities for the best protection.
By following these step-by-step instructions, you can easily set up a safer YouTube environment for your child.