YouTube Parental Controls: Now parents can decide how long their children watch Shorts; learn about the new features..

Following Instagram, YouTube has also made significant changes to its parental controls. These new features, which will be rolled out in 2026, will allow parents to have complete control over what their children watch and how much time they spend on YouTube. Nowadays, teens and Gen Z spend most of their time watching videos, listening to podcasts, and following their favorite creators on YouTube. Understanding parents' concerns, YouTube has taken these new safety measures. In this article, we will learn about these new and effective features of YouTube:

1. Parental Control on YouTube Shorts (Shorts Limits)
The biggest update is related to short-form videos, i.e., YouTube Shorts.

Daily Limit: Parents will now be able to decide how long their children can watch Shorts each day.

Blocking Option: If parents want their children to focus on studies or other activities, they can completely block Shorts by setting the timer to 'zero'.

Flexibility: This limit can also be increased during holidays or long trips.

In addition, 'Bedtime' and 'Take a Break' reminders are also being provided for 'Supervised Accounts'.

2. Focus on High-Quality Content
YouTube not only wants to reduce screen time but also wants to ensure that whatever children watch is beneficial for them.

Expert Opinions: YouTube has collaborated with experts from major institutions like UCLA and the American Psychological Association to develop new 'Content Principles'.

Guidelines: These new guidelines will help parents identify which content is 'high quality' and which is 'low quality'.

Recommendation System: YouTube's system will now use these standards to recommend only better and more educational videos to children.

3. Age-Appropriate Videos
YouTube has increased safety measures for children under 18 years of age (teens). Soon, signing up and switching accounts on the mobile app will be much easier. This feature aims to ensure that every family member sees content appropriate for their age and interests, so that children don't accidentally watch videos that are unsuitable for them.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.