YouTube will allow parents to control the time their children spend watching short videos

YouTube announced the implementation of new parental control tools that will allow parents and guardians to regulate the time that minors spend on short videos (Shorts) within the platform. The measure seeks to offer greater control over the consumption of digital content and respond to concerns about the impact of excessive screen use on children and adolescents. With this update, adults will be able to set daily time limits, ranging from several hours to zero minutes, and even completely block access to Shorts at certain times. The function will allow adjusting usage according to context, such as restricting it during study hours or extending it in specific situations, such as long trips. In addition, YouTube will reinforce the options for rest reminders and bedtime, tools that already existed for users under 18 years of age, but which can now be configured more precisely from supervised accounts.

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The platform also announced improvements in the management of supervised accounts, making it easier for parents to create and manage child profiles and transition between child and adult accounts on shared devices. In parallel, YouTube will adjust its recommendation system to prioritize content focused on learning, skill development, creativity, and the well-being of teenagers, reducing repetitive exposure to videos that may be detrimental to mental health. These measures are part of a broader company strategy to strengthen child protection, which includes the use of technologies to estimate the age of users and automatically apply more restrictive settings when it is detected that they are teenagers. The initiative reflects the growing effort of digital platforms to offer safer and more responsible environments for young audiences, in a context of increased social and regulatory scrutiny of the use of networks and applications by minors.