YouTube Kids: Video app for kids is improved, gets Web Version

YouTube severely restricts the range of functions – these users are affected the popular video portal YouTube has activated some changes in the handling of uploaded Videos in the past hours, which partially severely restrict well-known functions. These new limits should sometimes allow better data protection. You can find out exactly who is affected by these changes here.

YouTube: new guidelines for Videos aimed at Children

Last September, YouTube announced a series of adjustments to improve the protection of children. The background is requirements of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which provide, for example, that Videos created specifically for children must be marked as such. This option to mark your own Videos has been available to YouTube filmmakers since November. Persons younger than 13 years of age are considered as children. In a recent post, YouTube (via heise) describes the further changes.

The filmmakers can decide for themselves whether a channel or Video is made specifically for children. However, YouTube cites a number of examples. If in the Video, for example, popular characters, themes, toys or games occur in children, this feature can be selected. In addition, machine learning also helps to determine whether content has been created specifically for children. However, this automatic marking can be changed by the creator.

Tech YouTubers you should know:

YouTube: this is changing content for children

If a Video is provided with this feature, for example, personalized advertising is omitted. In addition, comments, Live Chat, notifications, Stories and the ability to add a Video to a Playlist are no longer available for the affected Clip. It does not matter how old the viewers of the video really is. The limits mentioned always apply as soon as a Video has been made “especially for children”. These restrictions now cause fears among the creators that the revenues of these Videos will decrease significantly.

In addition, data collection and use is restricted according to YouTube.

The basis for these changes is the US law “Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act”, Coppa for short. In September 2019, Google agreed to a settlement with the Commerce Department and the Attorney General of New York and was fined $ 170 million after violating that law. The new settings are therefore also a reaction to this dispute.
In the coming months, they want to make further changes in order to further improve the protection. At the same time, however, the company recommends that parents use YouTube Kids if children are to watch videos without supervision.

Comments