History of YouTube Kids in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 26, 2024

YouTube Kids is a child-friendly video platform developed by YouTube, designed specifically for children under 13. It offers curated content, parental controls, and filtering to ensure age-appropriateness in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The platform aims to provide a safe and engaging viewing experience for young audiences.

February 15, 2015: YouTube Kids First Released

On February 15, 2015, YouTube Kids was initially launched as a mobile application for Android and iOS devices.

August 2016: YouTube Kids Adds Support for YouTube Red

In August 2016, YouTube Kids integrated with YouTube Red (now YouTube Premium), offering subscribers ad-free viewing, background playback, and offline access.

February 2017: YouTube Kids Introduces Premium Original Series

February 2017 marked the debut of premium original programming designed specifically for YouTube Kids, featuring titles like "DanTDM Creates a Big Scene," "Fruit Ninja: Frenzy Force," "Hyperlinked," and "Kings of Atlantis."

November 2017: YouTube Kids Updates User Interface for Different Age Groups

In November 2017, YouTube Kids introduced user interface updates to cater to different age demographics. The app now provided a simplified interface for younger children and a more complex one for older children.

November 2017: YouTube Kids Announces Further Steps to Review and Filter Inappropriate Content

In November 2017, YouTube announced enhanced measures to identify and remove inappropriate content from YouTube Kids. These included stricter application of filtering, age restrictions, and improved reporting mechanisms for users.

September 2018: YouTube Kids Adds "Younger" and "Older" Age Group Options

In September 2018, YouTube Kids refined its content organization by adding "Younger" and "Older" age group options, broadening the range of content accessible to users.

2018: YouTube Kids Expands Parental Control Options

Throughout 2018, YouTube Kids continued to enhance parental control options, including the ability to limit content to human-reviewed channels and a system for manually whitelisting approved videos.

August 2019: YouTube Kids Introduces "Preschool" Age Group

August 2019 saw the introduction of a "Preschool" age group setting in YouTube Kids, focusing on content that encouraged creativity, playfulness, learning, and exploration.