Google set to launch a new kid-friendly YouTube app
Google Inc. will soon be releasing a new app called YouTube Kids that will offer a safer, sanitized version of the video streaming service that will be aimed at children.
“Parents were constantly asking us, can you make YouTube a better place for our kids,” said Shimrit Ben-Yair, the group product manager for YouTube Kids. “(Year over year) we’ve seen 50% growth in viewing time on YouTube, but for our family entertainment channels, it’s more like 200%.”
The new app for smartphones and tablets will provide access to several kid-friendly YouTube channels, including Jim Henson TV, Dreamworks TV, and Mother Goose Club. It will also have programming from Reading Rainbow, National Geographic Kids, Sesame Street, and more.
“At a time when a child’s access to media can be overwhelming and filled with empty calories, I’m excited that YouTube Kids is making this commitment to give families a safe environment to spark curiosity while still entertaining,” said Reading Rainbow’s LeVar Burton in a statement.
The new app will have an easy to use user interface with four different categories of videos for kids to browse: Shows, Music, Learning, and Explore. The Learning and Explore categories will include educational shows as well as funs videos such as game walkthrough and unboxings.
YouTube’s free access to video content anywhere with a Wi-Fi or data connection is a blessing for any parents who need to entertain their youngsters during trials like standing in line at the DMV. But many parents feel uncomfortable letting their children spend too much time alone on YouTube, even with its already built in parental controls.
The new YouTube Kids app eliminates this worry by restricting access to only approved channels. With the app’s notable lack of access to YouTube comments, it might be useful for some adults as well.
Although the app will be free, it will also display ads targeted toward children. The Android app is set to release in the U.S. on February 23. According to The Wall Street Journal, YouTube’s Malik Ducard is expected to talk about the app in more detail at Kidscreen Summit on Monday.
photo credit: Rego – d4u.hu via photopin cc
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