What are content settings?
Content settings allow parents to determine what their child may see on YouTube. These settings are informed by our content policies on age-appropriateness. You can learn more about these content policies below.
We offer three content settings for kids and teens:
| Older kids | Generally aligns with content ratings for viewers 9+. |
|---|---|
| Teens | Generally aligns with content ratings for viewers 13+. |
| Older teens | Generally aligns with content ratings for viewers 16+. |
Parents of supervised kid accounts can select the preferred content setting for their child during account creation. Teens (13 and older) are automatically placed into a content setting that matches their age. For example, users with 13-15 as the age on their account will be placed in the “Teen” setting, while users with 16-17 as the age on their account will be placed into the “Older teen” content setting.
Parents always have the option to adjust or change the content setting for their kid or teen’s account at any time based on their family’s preferences.
Content policies on age-appropriateness
YouTube’s content policies on age-appropriateness generally align with TV and movie content ratings, and are further informed by feedback from parents and external specialists in child and teen development. Learn more about the Youth and Families Advisory Committee.
Age-restricted content is unavailable to users under the age of 18, and content that violates our Community Guidelines is not allowed on YouTube.
These policies inform our automated systems that identify videos suitable to include in each setting. We know our automated systems aren’t perfect and will make mistakes; we are working to continuously improve them. If you find something that you believe is inappropriate, you can report it.
We apply additional protections for viewers under 18. This includes elevating high-quality content in recommendations, and minimizing the recommendation of content that, while acceptable in isolation, could be problematic if viewed repeatedly. Learn more about our high and low quality principles for kids and teens.
To help parents decide which content setting is right for their child, we provide examples below of the content included and excluded in each setting in accordance with our content policies.
Older kids“Older kids” is for families ready to move on from YouTube Kids and begin to explore the much larger universe of content on YouTube. This setting features a broad range of videos that generally aligns with content ratings for viewers 9+. Some videos may include:
- Adult content: Videos with romantic themes, including mild displays of affection and attraction. Age-appropriate educational videos on sexual and gender identity and Sex Education topics like puberty and reproduction.
- Violence: Age-appropriate videos related to current or historical events that are educational but may contain mild violence within the context of the event. Non-graphic violence in scripted and animated videos common in cartoons, gaming, television shows, and movies.
- Weapons: Videos featuring unrealistic weapons in the context of toy play, gaming, animation, and artistic weapons in a historical context.
- Dangerous Content: Videos featuring dangerous acts such as stunts, pranks, and challenges that are not easily imitable by minors or include a prominent disclaimer with appropriate safety disclosures. Videos that briefly display alcohol or tobacco.
- Inappropriate Language: Videos with infrequent use of mildly offensive language, such as "damnit" or "hell" in a non-harassing context.
- Diet, Fitness, & Beauty: Videos featuring beauty product reviews, age-appropriate make-up tutorials, and educational content on wellness. This content includes healthy eating and exercise.
- Sensitive Topics: Age-appropriate videos that discuss sensitive issues such as mental health, addiction, eating disorders, and loss and grief. Videos in this setting do not feature graphic imagery and focus on positive coping and recovery strategies, and the importance of seeking help.
- Music Videos: Music videos may include lyrics with mildly offensive language, or mentions of alcohol or tobacco. Videos may also feature sexualized dancing that is not gratuitous, and infrequent displays of alcohol or tobacco.
“Teens” is for children ready to explore more of the vast universe of YouTube. This setting includes everything in "Older kids", and an even broader range of videos that generally align with content ratings for viewers 13+. Some videos may include:
- Adult Content: Videos with sexual themes, such as non-explicit accounts of sexual experiences and displays of physical contact. Educational videos on sexual and gender identity and Sex Education topics like sexual development, reproductive health, abstinence, and disease prevention.
- Violence: Non-graphic educational videos related to current or historical events. Fleeting graphic violence in scripted and animated videos common in gaming, television shows, and movies.
- Weapons: Videos featuring real or realistic weapons in scripted videos common in television shows and movies. Videos featuring real guns when used in a sport or educational context on gun safety.
- Dangerous Content: Videos featuring dangerous acts such as stunts, pranks, and challenges that could result in serious physical harm but are not easily imitable by minors. Videos that display or show frequent use of alcohol or tobacco.
- Inappropriate Language: Videos with frequent use of offensive language or profanity such as "bitch" or "ass" in a non-harassing or non-sexual context. If infrequent and used in a non-harassing context, derogatory slurs may appear in a strictly educational or music video context.
- Diet, Fitness, & Beauty: Videos featuring make-up tutorials, beauty tips and life hacks, and videos related to healthy eating and exercise.
- Sensitive Topics: Non-graphic videos related to sensitive issues such as mental health, contemplating suicide, self-harm, addiction, eating disorders, and loss and grief. These videos focus on positive coping and recovery strategies and the importance of seeking help.
- Music Videos: Music videos may include lyrics with sexual references, infrequent explicit profanity, or derogatory slurs in a non-harassing or hateful context. Videos may also feature sexualized dancing and use of alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana.
