Exploring YouTube confidently:
A family guide to supervised experiences
Every family is different, that's why we have choices. Explore some helpful tips to help build healthy digital habits.
JESSICA PIOTROWSKI
PhD and Director of Center for Research on Children, Adolescents, and the Media
ELLEN SELKIE
MD, MPH, Paediatrician
Choose from three different content settings
These settings generally align with content ratings based on age and provide progressively greater access to YouTube videos across more topics and genres. Learn more about supervised experiences or create an account.
Tips and tricks
- Consider making a family media contract about when and where your child can watch
- Clearly outline what type of content they should not watch and create a plan of action
- Outline steps that they can take if a video makes them feel uncomfortable, unsafe or unsure
Don't fall for fake
Discerning between what's real and what's fake online is an important skill for children to develop when watching videos online and spending time online.
Tips and tricks
- Encourage your children to use critical thinking when watching videos and trust their instinct
- Teach how to look for trustworthy sources when learning about current events, historical figures and other popular topics
- Look out for clickbait, suspicious URLs, logos or exaggerated titles
- Discuss with a parent when you find something that feels incorrect
It's cool to be kind
Encourage kids to think about whether the people in the videos that they watch are treating others the way they would want to be treated.
Tips and tricks
- Teach your kids to stop the spread of mean videos by not passing them on to others
- Explain how to report videos that are hateful, inappropriate or that include harassment
- Discuss with an adult who they trust if they find a video that makes them feel upset or uncomfortable
- Chat about YouTube Creators or channels that create positive impact and discourage bullying
Be in control of your scroll
Digital wellbeing is ensuring that the way we use technology doesn't negatively affect our mental, physical, social or emotional health.
Tips and tricks
- YouTube's break and bedtime reminders are automatically turned on in supervised experiences
- Encourage children to watch content that encourages movement
- Set a maximum amount of time to spend on YouTube a week using the Google Family Link app
- Customise your notification quiet hours