Family guide · Updated August 2026
Building a YouTube Family Media Plan
The four pillars
1. Content: What can they watch?
Be specific. "Appropriate content" means nothing — "channels from the approved list" or "anything in the supervised account's content level" is enforceable.
- Approved channel list (managed through YouTube Kids or WhitelistVideo)
- Shorts: on or off?
- Comments: visible or hidden?
- Search: enabled or disabled?
2. Devices: Where can they watch?
List every device that can access YouTube in your home. Set up controls on each one. Don't forget:
- Smart TVs (often have no controls at all)
- Game consoles with YouTube apps
- Browsers on shared computers
- Tablets left in communal areas
3. Time: When can they watch?
Note: WhitelistVideo doesn't provide time limits — use your device's built-in tools (Screen Time, Family Link) for that. But you can establish rules like:
- No YouTube before school
- Maximum 1 hour on school nights
- YouTube off 30 minutes before bedtime
4. People: Who enforces what?
If multiple caregivers are involved (partner, grandparents, babysitter), everyone needs to know the rules. Write them down. Share access to the parent controls with co-parents.
Keep it alive
Review monthly. Your child's needs change fast. A plan that worked at 8 will feel suffocating at 10. Build in regular "renegotiation" moments so your child feels heard.