YouTube Kids only shows videos that are safe for children
| YouTube Kids only shows videos that are safe for children | |
|---|---|
| MISLEADING | |
| "Everything on YouTube Kids, including videos featuring familiar cartoon characters, is reviewed and safe for young children." | |
| Domain | Technology & Internet |
| Tactic | Imposture False Context |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2017 |
| Origin | Parents' assumptions about YouTube Kids, launched in 2015, and channels that imitated children's content |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 |
| Further reading: books on Technology & Internet | |
YouTube launched YouTube Kids in 2015 as a child-friendly version of its platform. In 2017, parents and journalists found that disturbing videos had slipped through: cheaply made clips using characters like Elsa, Spider-Man and Peppa Pig in violent, frightening or otherwise inappropriate situations. The phenomenon became known as "Elsagate."
The videos used familiar characters and child-friendly keywords to reach young viewers through automated recommendations.
What the evidence shows
- Reporting. The New York Times reported in November 2017 that disturbing videos were appearing on YouTube Kids. Writer James Bridle's essay "Something is wrong on the internet" described how automated systems were producing and recommending such content.
- YouTube's response. In late 2017, YouTube said it had removed more than 150,000 videos and disabled comments on hundreds of thousands more, and tightened its policies on content that misuses family characters.
- Filters are automated. YouTube Kids relies heavily on automated filters, and YouTube has said no system is perfect. It added options for parents to allow only hand-picked content.
Why it matters
Familiar characters can be used to pass inappropriate content off as children's entertainment. Parents can reduce the risk by using approved-content settings and watching with young children.
Sources
- Sapna Maheshwari, "On YouTube Kids, Startling Videos Slip Past Filters," The New York Times, November 4, 2017.
- James Bridle, "Something is wrong on the internet," Medium, November 6, 2017.
- YouTube Official Blog, "5 ways we're toughening our approach to protect families on YouTube and YouTube Kids," November 22, 2017.