A YouTube Primer for Parents
If you've got tweens, this one's for you
YouTube is like the OG of social media apps IMO. And while lately TikTok has become the go-to for how-to videos in our house, YouTube is still a classic.
Overview
YouTube is one of the most popular video-sharing platforms on the internet. It allows users to upload, share, and view videos. While not its main purpose, you can also interact with other users through the comments.
How to Use
Create an account: Open the YouTube app or website and click 'Join' at the top right. Enter your name, email address (or connect with your Google account), and choose a unique username and password.
Watch Videos: Once you’re logged in, search for any topic that interests you or browse through suggested videos based on what you've watched before.
Share Videos: Tap the 'Share' button below the video and select which platform you'd like to share it on (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.).
Create Content: Make sure that either your mobile phone or computer has a working camera and microphone before opening the YouTube app/website. Once logged in hit 'Create' then 'Go live'. This will give you access to all of YouTube's features such as customizing thumbnails and adding titles/descriptions to your video before posting it live.
Comment & Interact: After uploading a video or watching one created by someone else, feel free to comment and engage with other users who have watched it. You can upvote comments that you find helpful or reply directly to them with a thoughtful response if appropriate.
Manage Safety Settings: set up parental controls to restrict the time and content your child can access both on the device they are using and on YouTube itself (links to instructions from my earlier articles below).
Monetization: content creators can monetize their channels via advertising and sponsorship deals and its possible to make a living from their content. While I’m not suggesting your kid will become the next YouTube star….maybe? Look out for my upcoming interview with the “dadager” of a tween YouTuber.
What else parents should know
In order to open a “regular adult person” YouTube account, you must be at least 13. A parent can open a YouTube Supervised account for someone 9+ and use YouTubeKids for kids who are younger.
At the risk of stating the obvious, there is just ALOT of content on YouTube. Like many others in the space, it uses a combination of machine learning and human moderation to filter out the garbage. That said, neither the machines nor the humans are perfect.
Autoplay is problematic for at least two reasons. One: when kids are small there’s a risk they get advanced into something inappropriate. I know SO MANY parents who have had this happen. Moderation is not perfect. Two: for everybody on YouTube, it makes it really easy to lose track of time.
YouTube Kids has a limited shelf life. Its supposed to be for kids up to age 13. But, at least in my house, they outgrew it earlier. For better or worse, YouTube Supervised Accounts can be set up for kids as young as 9.
App and device settings may not translate to the tv or streaming device you kid is watching on. I found this out the hard way and get into what you can do about it next week’s article.
What parents can do
Understand which account type is right for your kid: YouTube Kids, YouTube Supervised Account or a regular account with some restrictions or no restrictions. If you have a tween (ages 9-13) you might want YTK or you might want a Supervised account.
Manage settings especially for time and for content on the device where they watch, through family link and/or through the YouTube app.
Consider turning off autoplay.
Talk to you kids about content and time management
My $0.02
Speaking as one parent here, YouTube Kids has been a trusted parenting tool through many an early morning or long afternoon with my small and now my medium sized children. It distracted a two year old so I could fall back asleep for 20 minutes because OMG why does he wake up at 5am when I just got his little brother back to sleep 45 minutes ago!?! It entertained two toddlers while my husband and I dealt with simultaneous work “crises” or dealt with an avalanche of household tasks. It can also be great educational tool through its how-to videos, tutorials, and educational channels — I feel like we didn’t take advantage of this benefit as much as we could’ve.
But, as they grow up and grow out of YouTube Kids, it gets much trickier. How you manage account settings and where you let them watch matters very, very much. Left unchecked, its very easy for a kid to lose track if time and see content they aren’t ready for.
Additional Resources
How to set up Family Link here
All the account types here
My newsletters on time limits, and content limits.
Next week in YouTube Part II, I share the harrowing tale of how got our YouTube house in order. Sort of.
Love,
Sarah
I found YouTube kids disturbing. For toddlers, PBSKids is great, no ads or weird Frozen videos shot by a dude in his basement. Yuck! For my tween, YouTube is highly addictive. In fact yesterday I just called him out as he times out his set screen time limit on the app, he’s going to Safari. The best thing I have done is use the house internet app (Spectrum) and block domains, devices during certain hours. But I’ve also accepted this is my son’s tv and he likes the personalities he follows and talks about this with friends. I try to engage him and watch videos with him because it opens the door to talking about sources, the creators motivations and their hacks to keep him glued to his phone. It’s a process. Appreciate you covering this one!