YouTube
YouTube
Overall Ratings
Username YouTube is owned by Google so if you want to watch Age Restricted Videos you need to create a Google account. Google does have filters to avoid usernames that contain certain "popular" profanity.
Password Google accounts have some complexity requirements, this is taken from https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32040 Your password can be any combination of letters, numbers, and symbols (ASCII-standard characters only). Accents and accented characters aren't supported. You can't use a password that: Is particularly weak. Example: "password123" You've used before on your account Starts or ends with a blank space
Multi-Factor Authentication You can enable two factor authentication on a Google account https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185839 and this is highly recommended.
There is no online chat feature in YouTube unless the YouTube stream is live. You can leave comments on the content that has been submitted however the ability to comment on videos can be disabled by the user. For children who are posting online content this is highly recommended.
YouTube live allows for live chat. There is a guide on how to moderate chat with features such as assigning moderators, blocking messages containing certain words, turning live chat on or off, allowing only a members or subscribers only chat etc.
Moderate Live Chat https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9826490
YouTube will only request access to the Camera and Microphone if you are doing something within that app that requires these, such as live streaming.
YouTube itself does not require location services, YouTube TV which is a subscription service based in USA will require location services.
YouTube offers YouTube Live – “YouTube Live is an easy way for creators to reach their community in real time. Whether streaming an event, teaching a class or hosting a workshop, YouTube has tools that will help manage live streams and interact with viewers in real time.
Creators can live stream on YouTube via webcam, mobile or encoder streaming. Webcam and mobile are considered great options for beginners and allow creators to go live quickly. Encoder streaming is ideal for more advanced live streams such as: sharing the creator’s screen or broadcasting gameplay, connecting to external audio and video hardware, and managing an advanced live stream production (like multiple cameras and microphones).”
There is a guide available for users who want to Live Stream https://bit.ly/3VCfqM6
The main YouTube app in the Apple App Store is rated as 17+, on Google Play it does not have an age rating just a “Parental Guideance” recommendation and thats the same on the Windows store.
Some videos have age restrictions placed on them however age restricted videos have to be set by the person who uploads the video and not by YouTube themselves which is why YouTube can have inappropriate material accessible. YouTube is governed by a community policy which for children has one glaring problem. Inappropriate content can be uploaded and viewed and often can become viral before it is flagged and removed by any YouTube moderation.
You can play most videos without having to provide any kind of age verification or having to have an account. If you want watch age restricted content then in theory you have to create a YouTube account and log into it to watch any age restricted content, however a search of the Internet finds lots of suggestions on how to bypass that and watch the videos without any restrictions. We have tried some of these and are yet to find any that work.
As with most sites there is no verification of age when creating a Google account.
In 2019 Google were fined for collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent.
YouTube fined $170m for collecting children’s personal data | YouTube | The Guardian
They face similar action in the UK
YouTube faces legal battle over British children’s privacy – BBC News
In 2020 some 4 million YouTube accounts were exposed by a data leak.
YouTube is a very popular platform for publishing and viewing content. There is some great content in YouTube with lots of channels with appropriate content such as National Geographic, however there is an exceedingly large amount of inappropriate content within the platform and unfortunately Googles flawed Community Guideline program for reporting content is simply not sufficient. For younger children YouTube Kids is a more appropriate app with more parental guidelines and control that can be applied.
The “restricted mode” that YouTube offers is simply ineffective and as far as we can tell when we tested it really does nothing to ensure children can use YouTube without viewing inappropriate content.
As a parent you should approach the platform with the view that your children are at an increased risk that they will see inappropriate content and hear inappropriate language, so if you choose to let them on the platform then please ensure they understand what to do if they come across this type of material.