YouTube presented this week a new set of tools and content standards designed to give parents more control over their teens’ viewing experience and ensure a healthier digital environment for young people.
The company announced that parents using supervised accounts will gain additional controls, including the ability to set daily time limits for watching YouTube Shorts and to create personalized “bedtime” or “break” reminders directly from the parental controls dashboard.
A simplified sign-up process will also make it easier for parents to create child accounts and switch between family profiles on the mobile app with just a few taps.
In addition, YouTube is introducing new content principles designed to guide teens toward age-appropriate material that provides meaningful value. These principles were developed in collaboration with the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA, with input from experts at the American Psychological Association and Boston Children’s Hospital.
The platform has also launched a new Creator Guide, developed with YouTube’s Youth and Families Advisory Board and supported by Save the Children International. The guide is intended to help creators better understand how to produce responsible content for younger audiences.
“The new Creator Guide equips content creators with the knowledge and tools they need to stay informed, educated and safe online,” said Rebecca Smith, Global Head of Child Protection at Save the Children International.
YouTube said the updated tools will be rolled out globally over the coming months.
“We believe in protecting children in the digital world, not from the digital world,” said Garth Graham, YouTube’s global head of health. “Providing effective, built-in tools is essential, as parents play a critical role in shaping their family’s online experiences.”
The announcement follows positive feedback from parents using existing supervision tools. According to a survey conducted by Ipsos for YouTube in August 2025 in Greece, 81% of parents said the content their child watches on a supervised YouTube account is age-appropriate, while 75% said the tools give them confidence that their child is accessing a safer and more controlled digital environment.
