Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave on Bodmin Moor for the last ten years, you’ll know about YouTube – the video sharing site that has helped to transform the way we consume media.

Names like Dan TDM, Smosh and Jenna Marbles might not mean that much to us, but their bizarre online webcasts draw in young fans from around the world while their parents are left wondering who these people are and how appropriate their content is for our children.  Here are some of our tips for parents of YouTube crazed children:

Ask you children who or what they are watching

Children very rarely go onto the internet in search of ‘bad stuff’.  They are looking for things they find entertaining (no matter how odd it seems to their parents, carers and teachers!).  Children love talking about the things that they are interested in online and will be thrilled that you want to join in and watch some of it with you.  If they don’t want to share with you, find out the name of the channels they like and view a few videos by the same creator to make sure you are comfortable with the content.

Share an account

Create a google account for your child to use when accessing YouTube – it’s free and very easy.   Then add this account to your own devices so you can dip in and out of the search history on that account to see what is being viewed.  If you find the search history has been deleted, the recommended videos will be in a similar vein to recently viewed content and will give you an idea of the sort of videos your child has been watching.

Help your child choose which creators to follow

There is an overwhelming amount of choice on YouTube, and as the content is user generated, most of it is unfiltered and unregulated.  Sites like Common Sense Media offer a list of creators who deliver positive messages to children in a format that they will enjoy.  You can view this list here – https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/positive-role-models-on-youtube

Encourage them to subscribe

If you child has a few favourite YouTubers that you are happy are producing appropriate content, get them to ‘mash that subscribe button’!  This means the content that they like, from the sources you trust will be easily accessible, reducing the need for searching and the risk of clicking onto something inappropriate by mistake.

Consider downloading YouTube Kids

YouTube is technically for ages 13 and up and what the site considers age appropriate may not match your family’s own values.  There is a filter called ’Restricted Mode’ which you can toggle via the settings button.  YouTube Kids is a separate app which offers other parental controls such as reminders about screen time and a restricted search.

As with all things online, the key to developing safe practice in your house is communication with your children about what they are watching.  The earlier you develop this habit, the better as children will be more used to talking to you about their online world and more likely to come to you if things start to go wrong for them.