YouTube is launching a feature to help parents better monitor their teens’ online activities. The feature aims to allow parents and teens to link their accounts and receive shared insights and notifications. The monitoring function is being rolled out worldwide with immediate effect and builds on existing measures to further protect minors.
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In Family Center, which launched in 2021, parents and young people can link their YouTube accounts and get information about their children’s YouTube activities, such as the number of uploads, subscriptions and comments. That comes from a Blog entry from “YouTube Youth” ,Product Manager James Besser. Parents and teens also receive proactive email notifications about important events, like when teens upload a video or start a livestream.
Actions desired by parents
According to Besser, it also aims to make young people “informed and responsible digital citizens” in the future. The children’s version, YouTube Kids, launched in Germany and Austria in 2017, is aimed specifically at a younger target group, those under 13. According to Besser, however, parents wanted a function with which they could give their older children more freedom in a controlled manner. Family Link already offers options to control online activities, but parents only see details about screen time.
In addition, security measures on YouTube are aimed at preventing minors from receiving recommendations that could, for example, lead to eating disorders or other self-destructive behavior. Recently, Federal Drug Commissioner Burkhart Blienert (SPD) demanded that TikTok block everyone under the age of 12 from accessing it.
Youtube had it In 2021, security measures were implemented that, among other things, limit the recommendations of videos with content that could become problematic if viewed repeatedly, especially for teenagers. Since May 2021, a new youth protection law has also come into force throughout Germany, according to which, for example, online platforms ask about the age of their consumers and sometimes even require proof.
According to EU law for digital services, from February platform operators are required to take strict measures to protect minors. Porn platforms must also demonstrate how they monitor the age of their consumers.
(Mac)
