YouTube has introduced their new YouTube Kids App giving parents heightened control over what their children are browsing for and watching on YouTube.

“On Monday, Google released YouTube Kids for free on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets,” reports D. Frank Smith of EdTech magazine. “In a blog post on YouTube, the app is billed as "the first Google product built from the ground up with little ones in mind’ and one that makes browsing the video site’s massive library safe and easy for kids.”

Normally YouTube has a restricted content log in where members would have to verify their age in order to watch a video. This new technology will omit the need for that when children are browsing for their favorite or new videos on YouTube.

“Parents concerned about age-inappropriate content can rest assured: A series of built-in controls give them a say in what their children can access and when they can view content,” according to the article. “Among the controls, a timer lets parents set up a specific video-gazing period, and an online search can be enabled for wider access to videos.”

These controls work much like the restricted content blocker explained above, however, instead of having to verify your age each time, parents can immediately narrow the results for a fixed amount of time or open the browsing up for more videos.

“The big motivator inside the company is everyone is having kids, so there’s a push to change our products to be fun and safe for children,” said Pavni Diwanji, vice president of engineering for Google, in a USA Today article.

Heightened security for children on YouTube can also be useful in the classroom for educators as well. With the new app, educators don’t run the risk of running into content that may look appropriate but turn out to have hidden obscenities.

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Article by Navindra Persaud, Education World Contributor