YouTube has officially rolled out supervised kid accounts across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), including the United Arab Emirates. This initiative targets parents who believe their children are ready to explore the main YouTube app while ensuring a safer and more controlled online environment.
The new supervised accounts integrate seamlessly with the existing YouTube app, offering enhanced parental controls and customisable content settings. Parents can select from three specially designed content categories based on their child’s age and maturity level. The “Explore” setting features educational videos, crafts, and dance content. In contrast, “Explore More” allows access to gaming and live streams, while the “Most of YouTube” option opens up nearly all available content, excluding anything rated 18+ or deemed inappropriate.
In a bid to promote healthier viewing habits, the new accounts come with an industry-first Shorts feed timer, enabling parents to set daily viewing limits for YouTube Shorts or even disable them entirely. Additional features include default reminder settings that encourage kids to take breaks and adhere to bedtime, helping them establish a balanced approach to screen time.
While the supervised kid accounts provide a safe viewing experience, some standard features are restricted. Users won’t be able to upload videos or leave comments, and personalised advertising is disabled. Additionally, autoplay is turned off by default to create a more controlled environment for young viewers.
This initiative complements YouTube’s existing supervised teen accounts, which allow older kids to access most of the platform while providing parents with tools to monitor activity, including notifications about uploads and live streams.
Javid Aslanov, Head of YouTube in MENA, expressed the company’s commitment to family safety, noting that YouTube has been an essential resource for families in the region for over two decades. He cited research indicating that a large percentage of viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE believe YouTube offers top-notch educational content.
Garth Graham, YouTube’s Head of Health, emphasised the importance of protecting young people in the digital age. He stated that thoughtful safeguards, such as supervised accounts, are vital to balancing discovery and safety for young users.
Supervised kid accounts are now available in countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt, with a phased rollout extending to additional families throughout MENA and Türkiye. Parents can set up these accounts via the Family Centre in the YouTube app or the Google Family Link app.
