YouTube

YouTube does not have many privacy setting options as the interactions with strangers is limited to the comment section of a video, public to other viewers of said videos. It is important to have frequent and open communication with your child about what they are viewing on the platform.

1. Open the YouTube app and tap the profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
2. Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner to open Settings.
3. Tap General. Toggle on Restricted Mode.
4. Go back to Settings. If your child’s Google account is identified as belonging to a minor, you will see an additional tab: Family Center, where your child can invite you to supervise their activity.

If your child uploads content onto the platform, it is a good practice to see the privacy settings of their videos and who can see or comment on them.

These settings can be accessed on a mobile device.

1. Open the YouTube app and tap the profile icon at the bottom-right of the screen.
2. Tap the icon at the top of the screen, then tap on Videos.
3. Tap the three dots at the right of one your child’s videos, then Edit.
4. Tap on Visibility, then choose to have the video Public, Unlisted, or Private.
5. Go back to the Edit video settings. Tap on Audience. Select if the video is for children or if it should be age restricted.
6. Go back to the Edit video settings. If any settings were changed, tap on the Save button at the top-right.
7. Repeat for other videos as needed.

You can also access these settings through a web browser.

1. Open YouTube in a browser and sign into your child’s account.
2. Click the profile icon in the top-right corner, then select YouTube Studio.
3. In the left-hand menu, click Content to view your child’s uploaded videos.
4. Hover over a video and click the pencil icon to edit its details. Adjust these settings:
   • • Visibility: The default settings for creators aged 13-17 is Private. For creators 18 or older, the default is Public.
       • Private: The video cannot be searched for on the site. Comments are disabled. Only the uploader and specific Google Accounts can see a private video.
       • Unlisted: These can be seen and shared by anyone with the link. Unlisted videos will not appear as a search result.
       • Public: Videos made public appear in search results and can be seen by anyone.
     • Audience: Decide who the videos are for.
       • Made for kids: A video made for kids disables comments.
       • Age-restricted videos: This content has an age-restricted warning and will not show as a search result on other children’s accounts.

Download a printable version of the steps above.