YouTube, owned by Google, is used by 1 billion people throughout the world, including children, and 5 billion videos are viewed every day. And more than 400 hours of videos are uploaded every second (yes, you read that right – every second).
And while it has strict policies regarding its content (no nudity, no swearing, no violent and graphic content), there is so much content streaming in that it’s highly possible that some inappropriate material slips past the moderators or automated safeguards.
Such safeguards include "age-restricted” videos, where viewers must be signed-in to an account to view the material. To be an account holder you must be at least 18 years of age or 13 with a parent’s permission.
Despite the safeguards, there could still be other videos on the site that aren’t appropriate for very young children.
So how do you stop your children from seeing such content?
Easy. Switch on Restricted Mode. As Google puts it, “Restricted Mode is an optional setting that you can use on YouTube to help screen out potentially mature content that you may prefer not to see or don’t want others using your device to see.”
How do you turn it on?
Simple. Click on your profile picture in the top right-hand corner (or the profile picture symbol). Then click Restricted Mode. In the box that pops up, toggle Restricted Mode to on. "No filter is 100 percent accurate," according to YouTube, "but it should help you avoid most inappropriate content."
Can a child turn Restricted Mode off?
Most likely not, if they're a toddler (unless someone shows them how to do it or you're raising the next Gates or Zuckerberg). But for school-aged children it gets a bit trickier. One of the common questions posed to Google is - How do I turn Restricted Mode off? And yes, the answer is easy to find.
The solution is to install Google’s Family Link app (on your PC, laptop or phone) so all Google and YouTube browsing must be done through the app and controlled by your account, with your own password.
So now you're all sorted to have that break while your little one streams endless episodes of Peppa Pig.
