YouTube introduces new safety features for teen users

YouTube has announced a series of new safety features for teen users, alongside the release of a new parent guide developed in collaboration with the American Psychological Association (APA). The initiative aims to encourage safer online viewing habits and provide additional resources for digital well-being.

The parent guide, informed by an analysis of hundreds of studies, offers evidence-based recommendations to support teens' healthy video-viewing habits. According to the APA, the guide examines the impact of video content on adolescent development, mental health, and well-being, while offering strategies to promote digital literacy and responsible screen time.

The platform has also partnered with the APA to release a video series in the coming weeks, designed to help parents and teens implement the guide's suggestions in practical ways.

In addition to the parent guide, YouTube has introduced new safety measures shaped by its Youth and Family Advisory Committee, a panel of experts in child development, digital media, mental health, and online learning. The latest updates include:

New safeguards on repeated topical exposure: Building on its existing restrictions around content related to body image and social aggression, YouTube has expanded its limits to include financial advice, content highlighting delinquency, and videos featuring teens participating in cruel pranks.

Enhanced 'Take a Break' reminders: The platform is making its 'Take a Break' prompts more prominent by expanding them to full-screen notifications for teen users. These reminders will now be enabled by default for users under 18, triggering every 60 minutes. A default bedtime reminder, set for 10 pm, will also be introduced, with options for users to adjust the timings.

Parental advisory based on viewing history: A new feature within YouTube's Family Center will send email notifications to parents about their child's viewing activity, including links to resources that support conversations between parents and teens about responsible content consumption.