• YouTube strengthens teen protection with new parental control tools
• Setting time limits for Shorts and reminders for sleep and breaks

YouTube announced the launch of a new set of parental control tools aimed at protecting young users, including the ability to set the amount of time teens can spend browsing short videos (Shorts) or block them entirely.

YouTube said the feature allows parents to set Shorts viewing time from two hours down to zero minutes, controlling entertainment periods or focus on homework.

They can also set sleep reminders and break prompts, automated options previously applied to users under 18.

The platform added that it simplifies creating supervised accounts for parents and eases switching between teen and adult accounts on shared devices.

YouTube will also update recommended content policies for teens to include videos that encourage curiosity and inspiration, build life skills, provide reliable information that supports well-being, and block harmful content that could lead to risky behavior.

This follows YouTube’s announcement last year about using artificial intelligence to estimate users’ ages and place teens under extra protective settings without relying solely on the registered birth date.