YouTube to launch a Free Kids App on February 23

The tech giant will release a new YouTube android app which will target little kids. This app is titled “YouTube Kids” and it is expected to be available free.

Google are about to release a new YouTube application for the little kids. Their parents will be able to download the app to smartphones and tablets. The popular video streaming service that has already many users, will now be targeting little kids. 

These are the kids that haven’t started going to school yet. It is expected that shows like Sesame Street and Thomas the Tank Engine will be uploaded on YouTube and kids would be able to view these shows on smartphones or tablets. YouTube will make sure that all of the content that is going to be displayed on the new application is kid-safe.

A screenshot of the application was released last night and we can clearly see two titles in the screenshot. One title says Mother Goose Club and the other one says Reading Rainbow. The name of the new app is YouTube Kids and it is expected to be free to download from the Play Store.

WSJ report suggests that the application is designed in a way that will help the kids in navigating through the app. The app will have big buttons and it will come with minimal scrolling so that the kids learn to use the app.

YouTube Kids app will have other features for the parents. For example if your kid has been watching videos all day long and is not willing to eat or sleep, then you can put a timer on the app. This will enable you to control the amount of videos your kid can watch in a day.

The Kidscreen Summit is on Monday and that is when the app is expected to be released. YouTube executive Malik Ducard will be at the summit and he will release the app to the world. If Google is to collect information from the kids, then they will have to ask for permission from their parents according to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

This Act is overseen by the Federal Trade Commission. So Google cannot collect personal information on your kid without notifying you first. It is still unclear how Google will make money from this project. As we know little kids don’t have any money and placing ads wouldn’t help the kids with the application.