YouTube is an online video sharing service that can be accessed from both desktop and mobile devices. It was launched and posted its first video in 2005. The video, named ‘Me at the Zoo’, has over 237,000,000 views.
YouTube continues to influence the way we create, consume, and share all forms of visual media content.
The rise of mobile technology has changed how we consume video-based entertainment. YouTube has become a broadcasting network in its own right and for many young people, their broadcaster of choice.
The platform has given birth to a new wave of stars: vloggers, comedians, artists, and ‘influencers’ (called YouTubers) who have created their own channels, many of which have massive numbers of subscribers generating millions of views per day. YouTube stars make money from ad-revenue and some are paid to endorse products via testimonials or adverts on their own channel.
Core Functions
- Anyone can search for videos on just about anything and stream them online without an account.
- There is a section under most videos where people can leave or reply to comments as well as ‘like’ things other people have said. YouTube has disabled this feature on almost all videos which feature children.
- Users can create their own YouTube channel and upload videos of anything they want, such as their own music or a tutorial on a specific task.
- If you like content from a particular YouTuber, you can subscribe to their channel or save their videos to your own personalised playlist.
- YouTube now offers a paid for service called YouTube Premium, which allows users to listen to music and watch videos with zero adverts.
- Users can purchase or rent movies (for a fee) on the platform.
- YouTube Live allows users to livestream. Broadcasters can earn revenue by enabling ads, using super chat, or sponsorship.
- YouTube uses an auto-play feature to automatically play ‘suggested videos’ after you have viewed your one.
Age Requirement
YouTube’s rules (Terms and Conditions of Service) require users to be 13 or older to use the app. However, users can input a false date of birth to bypass these restrictions.
If users are under 13, they can use YouTube Kids.
Risks
- YouTube comments are monitored, but they can quite often become combative and sometimes abusive. This can be harmful if a child uploads a video of themselves.
- There are large quantities of offensive, explicit, and inappropriate content on this platform. In some extreme circumstances, there have been videos of suicide, pornography, and more, as well as misinformation and extremist content.
- YouTube rely on their 'community members' to flag any content that they find inappropriate. When something is flagged, it's not automatically removed from the website; instead it is reviewed against their Community Guidelines.
- Comments sections can facilitate interaction with strangers, and YouTube is no exception. This risk is increased if users are creating their own videos and interacting with their followers.
- YouTube Live presents similar risks associated with other livestreaming platforms. Content is live and therefore hard to moderate. It is important to be aware that content may be inappropriate for young people.
- YouTube’s auto play feature means users can be fed a constant flow of content, generated using an algorithm. This can create an ‘echo chamber’ full of similar content and can be risky if the content is harmful.
Safety Settings
- YouTube Restricted Mode can be turned on to filter out mature or inappropriate content.
- YouTube offers 3 different privacy settings when uploading a video or livestreaming: Public, Private, and Unlisted.
- By default, all accounts are public. This means the public can view any videos you choose to upload.
- You can change this to private, which means only invited users can view videos.
- Unlisted videos do not appear on any public feeds, and other users require a link to view them.
- Users can hide their liked videos and channel subscriptions.
- Users can remove or flag comments on a livestream, and individual users can be blocked or put in ‘time out’.
- A moderator can be assigned to manage the chat attached to livestreams when there is a large audience.
- In 2019, YouTube disabled all comments sections on videos that included children due to widespread sexualised comments from adults.
Top Tips
- If users are under 13, they should use YouTube Kids . They will have a much better and safer experience online. Check out the YouTube Kids section of your Safer Schools app for more information.
- If users are under 18, we recommended using YouTube’s Restricted Mode.
- Due to the large amount of inappropriate content, ensure that users have a trusted adult who they can talk to if they see something disturbing or upsetting on the platform.