YouTube Kids Is Not Totally Child-Friendly – Keep An Eye On Your Children’s Screentime
While on the surface it is known to be kid-friendly, the app contains dark corners too, as videos that are disturbing for children still evade its filters.
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YouTube Kids is a colourful, stripped-down version of YouTube, full of animations, bright colours, and cartoon avatars meant to keep young internet users engaged.
While scrolling through the app, children can see everything from Nickelodeon song mashups to prank series to baking videos — in other words, it’s the cheerful and colourful version of the actual YouTube.
However, over the years, more and more parents and guardians have begun to realise that the kids’ app has a rabbit hole problem.
While on the surface it is known to be kid-friendly, the app contains dark corners too, as videos that are disturbing for children escape its filters.
Whether this is by mistake or because bad actors have found ways to fool the YouTube Kids algorithm, it is still something that the app is looking into.
Many have taken to Facebook to warn others, and share video screenshots showing moments ranging from a Claymation Spider-Man urinating on Elsa of “Frozen” to Nick Jr characters in a strip club.
There have also been several videos that portray child favourite characters engaging in suicide as well as lewd acts.
Recently, a viral tweet on social media has Malaysians discussing their very own issues with the app as well.
Twitter user @SueKz93 posted a series of Tweets paired with TikTok videos to explain how bad the YouTube Kids’ channel rabbit hole could get.
This is why I am not surprised when I read about seven year olds raping five year olds. We always think YouTube Kids is a safe space for children but nope. Just nope.
@SueKz93 via Twitter
The user also asked parents to stop letting their children watch videos on the app as well as TikTok unsupervised.
I’m so stressed that the little kids look at these videos and find it funny while laughing. But you don’t realise how it can impact the children. No wonder the mental health of today’s generation is severely affected.
@SueKz93 via Twitter
Netizens have flocked to the comments as well as the quote tweets to share their opinions on this as well.
Twitter user @dontaskrenelle said:
I wanna tell y’all something about YouTube, you can’t block a channel. And that would help A LOT of parents trying to monitor their kids. One of the most disgusting channels I’ve ever seen my nephew watch is Fat Tv and we’ve been trying to softblock it for months now.
@dontaskrenelle via Twitter
Another Twitter user @bloomingsdale said:
Youtube’s algorithm is just whack, even on its platform intended for children. It’s like they don’t even care what kind of content goes out, as long as they’re making bucks. Disgusting. Parents (like me) have to be more careful and vigilant.
@bloomingsdale via Twitter
On the other hand, Twitter user @liyanafaireul shared that he once saw his six year old student searching up the words ‘bontot’ (buttocks) and ‘sexy’ on YouTube.
I witnessed my student who’s 6 years old, searching ‘bontot’ & ‘sexy’ in YT and laughing his ass off while watching real f- up explicit videos in front of me. It’s madness and upsetting to be honest.
@liyanafaireul via Twitter
Meanwhile, Twitter user @FAliaHMS said:
Yep! This is why my kids are off YouTube and have edu apps instead. Whatever movies/videos are off of Netflix, where it’s the original content, not some weird animation by weird people with weird intentions etc.
@FAliaHMS via Twitter
The conclusion that one can draw from this whole experience is that parents and guardians should keep an eye peeled when their children use apps online.
The internet is a wide sea of things, and children being as curious as they are, can get lost.
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