Raising Is YouTube safe for kids? What parents should know
Is YouTube safe for kids? Apple's App Store rates the main YouTube app 13+, citing infrequent cartoon or fantasy violence and weapons, plus chat and user-generated content. For younger children, Google offers a supervised experience in which a parent picks the content setting, and a separate app, [YouTube Kids](/is-it-good-for-kids/youtube-kids). In 2019, Google and YouTube paid $170 million to settle FTC and New York claims of children's privacy violations.
YouTube at a glance
- ✓Official rating above age 7
App Store: 13+ - ✓Contact with other players or strangers
Comments and live chat - ✓Purchases with real money
Premium, Super Chat, rentals - –Paid random items
None found - ✓Violence or scary content in rating descriptors
App Store: infrequent cartoon violence - ✓Government lawsuits, fines, or safety warnings
FTC and NY settlement (2019); LA verdict on appeal
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count.
| Type | Video platform by Google; YouTube Kids is a separate app |
|---|---|
| App Store (iOS) | 13+ — infrequent cartoon or fantasy violence, weapons; contains messaging and chat, user-generated content source |
| For younger kids | Supervised experience: a parent picks a content setting (about 9+, 13+, or 16+) source |
| Age checks | AI estimates if a user is under 18 and turns on teen protections source |
| Purchases | YouTube Premium, Super Chat, movie and show rentals |
| Government | $170M FTC and New York settlement over children's privacy (2019) source |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is YouTube?
Short answer: A video platform owned by Google, where anyone can upload videos, Shorts, and live streams.
Viewers can comment, chat during live streams, and subscribe to channels. YouTube Kids is a separate app for younger children; we cover it on its own page: Is YouTube Kids good for kids?
Is YouTube safe for kids? The facts
Short answer: The main app is rated 13+, with supervised options for younger kids.
- Rating: App Store 13+, with infrequent cartoon or fantasy violence and weapons.
- Supervised experience: a parent chooses a content setting (Older kids, about 9+; Teens, about 13+; Older teens, about 16+), can pause or review watch history, turn off autoplay, block content, set break and bedtime reminders, and limit Shorts.
- Age checks: YouTube's AI estimates whether a user is under 18, whatever birthdate is on the account. If so, age-restricted videos are blocked, reminders turn on, and uploads are private by default.
- Purchases: YouTube Premium, Super Chat (paid highlighted messages in live chat), and rentals.
YouTube age requirement
Short answer: Apple rates the app 13+; we couldn't confirm the exact minimum age in YouTube's terms.
YouTube's help pages say teens 13 and up are placed automatically in an age-matched content setting. Younger kids can use YouTube through a parent-managed supervised experience or YouTube Kids. In Australia, YouTube is covered by the under-16 minimum age for social media since December 10, 2025.
Has YouTube been sued?
Short answer: Yes. In 2019, Google and YouTube paid $170 million ($136 million to the FTC, $34 million to New York) to settle allegations that YouTube collected data from viewers of child-directed channels for targeted ads, without parental consent. It was the largest such penalty at the time.
In March 2026, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google (YouTube) negligent in app design; YouTube appealed in July 2026. As of October 2026, YouTube is still a defendant in related cases, according to litigation trackers.
The habit kids may copy: one more video
When one video ends, the next one starts on its own. Kids learn to wait for the next one rather than to decide.
Try tonight: decide before you press play
Before the screen goes on, let your child choose: two videos, three videos, or one episode. Then ask: "How many, and then what?" Write the "then what" on a sticky note. In our program, this is the lesson "I'm the Boss of My Want": practicing the pause between wanting something and getting it.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
What is the YouTube age requirement?
Apple's App Store rates the main YouTube app 13+. Younger kids can use YouTube through a parent-managed supervised experience or the separate YouTube Kids app.
Is YouTube safe for kids?
The main app is rated 13+ and has comments, live chat, and user uploads. For under-13s, Google offers supervised accounts with parent-chosen content settings and YouTube Kids.
What's the difference between YouTube and YouTube Kids?
YouTube Kids is a separate app for younger children. See our YouTube Kids page.
Was YouTube fined over children's privacy?
Yes. In 2019, Google and YouTube paid $170 million to settle FTC and New York claims under the children's privacy law COPPA.
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Read next →Raising Stoics is a 12-week program for ages 5–6, built on Stoic philosophy and developmental psychology. One lesson is "I'm the Boss of My Want": practicing the pause between wanting something and getting it.