YouTube Adds Shorts Parental Controls

YouTube, the Google-owned video platform, announced new parental controls on Wednesday aimed at helping families manage children's and teens' screen time, with a particular focus on its short-form video feature, Shorts. The updates, rolled out amid heightened global concerns about online safety for minors, allow parents to set precise limits on Shorts viewing or block access entirely, addressing the addictive nature of quick clips similar to those on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

The core addition is a customizable timer for connected child and teen accounts, enabling parents to cap daily or session-based Shorts consumption. Options include setting limits up to two hours per day, with flexibility to adjust downward to zero minutes for situations like homework or study sessions using educational videos. Parents can also impose permanent or temporary blocks, ensuring the platform remains available for learning without distractions from entertaining shorts. "This is an industry-first feature that puts parents firmly in control of the amount of short-form content their kids watch," YouTube stated in a blog post.

Complementing these tools are custom Bedtime and Take a Break reminders,...