Social platform · Medium risk
Is YouTube Shorts safe for your child?
Age guide
13+
We advise YouTube Shorts from age 13 and up. Overall risk 5/10 (medium risk).
- 9-12
- Children in this age group may be drawn to the short-form, rapid-fire entertainment of YouTube Shorts, encountering content like challenges or dances, with filtering managed by Family Link.
- 13-15
- Teenagers might use YouTube Shorts to follow trends, engage with creators, and consume content that can include more mature humor or social commentary, depending on 'Restricted Mode' settings.
- 16+
- Older teens can explore a wide range of user-generated content, including potentially controversial topics or adult humor, and may also create and share their own Shorts.
YouTube Shorts is a short-form video platform that allows users to create and share videos lasting up to 60 seconds. It is designed for quick consumption and often features trending challenges, music, and user-generated content. The platform is integrated with YouTube, allowing users to access a vast library of content while also encouraging creativity and engagement through short clips.
- Age guide
- 13+
- Overall risk
- 5/10
- Violence
- 3/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 5/10
- Stranger contact
- 4/10
- Addiction risk
- 8/10
- Language
- 4/10
- Influence
- 6/10
What parents should know
YouTube Shorts is a feature within YouTube offering short-form, vertical videos, often highly engaging and algorithm-driven. While it provides quick entertainment, the rapid content delivery and user-generated nature mean children can encounter a wide range of material. Parental controls through Google Family Link and YouTube's 'Restricted Mode' are crucial for filtering content and managing viewing habits. Open communication about online safety and critical thinking is vital.
What to do about YouTube Shorts
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for YouTube Shorts is 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact YouTube Shorts setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about YouTube Shorts without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in YouTube Shorts that mean it is time to step in.
YouTube Shorts age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is YouTube Shorts?
Parentwise puts YouTube Shorts at 13+. We advise YouTube Shorts from age 13 and up. Overall risk 5/10 (medium risk). Violence scores 3/10, language 4/10, stranger contact 4/10 and addiction risk 8/10.
Can a 10 year old use YouTube Shorts?
Not by default: we advise YouTube Shorts from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Children in this age group may be drawn to the short-form, rapid-fire entertainment of YouTube Shorts, encountering content like challenges or dances, with filtering managed by Family Link.
Can a 12 year old use YouTube Shorts?
Not by default: we advise YouTube Shorts from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Children in this age group may be drawn to the short-form, rapid-fire entertainment of YouTube Shorts, encountering content like challenges or dances, with filtering managed by Family Link.
Can a 13 year old use YouTube Shorts?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for YouTube Shorts (13+). Teenagers might use YouTube Shorts to follow trends, engage with creators, and consume content that can include more mature humor or social commentary, depending on 'Restricted Mode' settings.
Is YouTube Shorts appropriate for kids?
YouTube Shorts is a feature within YouTube offering short-form, vertical videos, often highly engaging and algorithm-driven. Parentwise rates YouTube Shorts overall as medium risk (5/10), with stranger contact at 4/10 and addiction risk at 8/10.
Is YouTube Shorts family friendly?
YouTube Shorts sits in the middle: fine with settings changed and an occasional check-in. While it provides quick entertainment, the rapid content delivery and user-generated nature mean children can encounter a wide range of material.
YouTube Shorts parents guide: what should a parent know first?
YouTube Shorts is a feature within YouTube offering short-form, vertical videos, often highly engaging and algorithm-driven. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (4/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (8/10).
Is YouTube Shorts safe for kids?
We advise YouTube Shorts from age 13 and up. Overall risk 5/10 (medium risk). While it provides quick entertainment, the rapid content delivery and user-generated nature mean children can encounter a wide range of material.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.