“What is the site or platform you wouldn’t want to live without?”

For years, researchers at Common Sense Media have asked kids and teens this question. It’s a revealing one—it cuts through the noise of ever-evolving platforms and trends to uncover the digital spaces that truly matter to young people. While news cycles tend to focus on the latest social media apps and we debate how and when to introduce Instagram or Snapchat, one platform reigns supreme in kids’ lives: YouTube.

More than six in ten preteens and teens watch online videos daily, and a majority say they enjoy them “a lot.” Pew Research confirms that YouTube remains the most widely used platform among teens. But it’s not just teens glued to YouTube. In 2020, for the first time, children under eight spent more time watching videos online than on TV or streaming services. YouTube now dominates digital consumption from early childhood through adolescence.

Why YouTube Matters

While other platforms deserve our attention, YouTube’s ubiquitous presence in kids’ lives from childhood through adolescence means that it may have an outsized impact on their lives. Its influence may grow even further if TikTok gets permanently banned, pushing creators to redirect audiences to YouTube and other video platforms.

The American Psychological Association (APA) recently summarized the research on teen video viewing in particular, offering guidance to help parents navigate this space. This complements a Common Sense Media report in 2020 on young kids and YouTube. We need all the help we can get given that YouTube is present at school, at home, and is a portal to all the things —where else can Miss Rachel follow a DIY dishwasher repair video, which leads to dance challenges, and then to problematic “thinspiration” influencers? Welcome to the rabbit hole.

Content: The Good, the Bad, and the Algorithmic

Let’s start with the obvious: the content on YouTube is a mixed bag. It’s certainly a hub for connection, inspiration, and learning. Ask a twelve-year-old aspiring baker where he learned to do such elegant piping on his cakes and the answer will likely be: YouTube. Yet research reveals troubling trends too. For example, one study found that only 19% of YouTube videos aimed at young children were age-appropriate, with violence and consumerism being the most common issues. YouTube has updated policies in an attempt to address harmful content for teens, such as videos promoting eating disorders. Still, with 14 billion videos on the platform, YouTube is a powerful portal to some of the very best and some of the very worst.

Design Features That Amplify Impact

Long gone are the days of approving single programs for kids. According to the APA report, YouTube’s design sets it apart from traditional media in critical ways:

• Algorithm-driven recommendations: Content and ads are curated by algorithms.
• Rapid switching: Short-form content encourages constant shifts in focus.
• Autoplay: Videos continue endlessly without user intervention.
• Social engagement: Comments and reactions turn video viewing into a social activity.

Research suggests these features can amplify both the benefits and the harms of video content. The impact on any individual child or teen depends upon who they are, what content they are accessing, and what else is going on in their lives. But paying attention to the ways these design features are helping or hurting our kids is key to setting them up for success.

Parents and Caring Adults Matter (A Lot)

Here’s the good news: Parents and trusted adults are pivotal in helping kids maximize the benefits of YouTube while minimizing its harms. This may not feel like good news to the many parents who feel daunted by this task. Navigating infinite content streams and complicated parental controls can feel like an unpaid full time job that no one asked for. Yet kids need us to step meaningfully into their video viewing lives. So what matters most?

1. Take Harmful Content Seriously

Let’s not ignore violence, hate, risky behaviors, or harmful stereotypes – on YouTube or anywhere else online. When we ignore this kind of content or brush it off, its negative effects are amplified (especially if we are watching it alongside our kids). There are some things that we can do to limit exposure to this content in the first place:

• • For younger children, use YouTube Kids – an imperfect but safer alternative. (Still frustrated? Consider making your job easier by sticking to environments made for children like PBS Kids).
  • Consult trusted sources like Common Sense Media for good channel recommendations.
  • Set up Supervised Accounts for older kids, allowing more control over subscriptions and viewing time.

2. Talk About Content

The reality is that kids are likely to access content at some point that is scary, inappropriate, risky or hurtful. What’s the best thing we can do? Talk about it.

There is no setting, parental control, or monitoring app that replaces the protective power of talking to our kids about what they are seeing and doing online. This is not an invitation to launch into lectures about why the internet is trash. This is an invitation to ask kids questions, talk about what they are experiencing, and offer problem solving and support if needed. We can and should draw boundaries around harmful online content. But coupling boundaries with conversations is best. This is important when things are going well and in the aftermath of a digital challenge. Get conversations started with questions like,

• • Who are your favorite YouTubers? Why? 
  • What kinds of videos are other kids at your school watching?
  • Do you like the recommended videos you are getting or not so much? 
  • It’s really normal to see some content that is upsetting, confusing, or that you don’t want to see on YouTube. Have you had those experiences?
  • I don’t really like what that YouTuber just said – it seems like he is making fun of people. What do you think about his humor?

3. Talk About Design

Our kids should learn that media isn’t just constructed to connect and entertain – it is also constructed to attract and hold our attention for as long as possible. Talk early and often about the design tricks that platforms use to keep us watching, scrolling, and tapping for longer. Create family media agreements around both time and content and acknowledge that platform design can make it hard to follow through on our agreements. Brainstorm ideas for taking charge of YouTube like turning off autoplay and using “time to take a break” reminders. Model these practices for young children.

4. Build Skills to Evaluate Misinformation

For very young children, we want to protect them as much as possible from harmful and inaccurate content online. As they get older, kids need to practice evaluating the accuracy of what they find online. Teens are likely to go online to find information about sensitive topics from mental health to sexuality to politics. Share skills for spotting misinformation, talk about AI generated content, and ask about your school’s media literacy curriculum. Consider asking questions like, 

• • Have you seen AI generated videos on YouTube? How would you know?
  • What do you think is good about AI generated content? What do you think is not so good?
  • All of us have a hard time spotting misinformation, what do you or your friends do to make sure you aren’t getting tricked into believing something that isn’t real?

5. Seek Out the Good Stuff

It’s easy to approach our kids with lists of “places they shouldn’t go” and “things they shouldn’t do.” The reality is that there is a lot of incredible, positive, and awe-inspiring video content online. Seek out and encourage pro-social, joyful, educational, and harmless content. Found a good rabbit hole? Enjoy it with your kids. 

Read the full APA Report for more research and information.