YouTube Kids has been made available in Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, yet it continues to face problems as advocacy groups file complaints on some of the contents on the app that are allegedly not child-friendly. Recently, a complaint on ads promoting junk foods has triggered advocates to question the app once again.
YouTube Kids is promoted as a safe variant of the streaming website. It only allows access to channels and videos that are supposedly filtered to be suitable for children. It even has a timer feature that allows parents to control the amount of time that children spent on the app. It also blocks users from commenting and uploading videos directly unto the app so as not to escape the filtering process, Tech Times reported.
However, complaints have been made to the Federal Trade Commission regarding the deceptive ads that allegedly promotes junk food consumption through funny contests and animated stories, according to New York Times.
In response to the complaints, YouTube has announced that it will be rolling out updates that aim to improve the features of the app, especially with regards to the filtering of what videos and ads to allow. It will also add a feature that allows parents to flag content, according to Yahoo News.
It took nine months for the app to be available outside the U.S., probably because of the complaints that keep pouring in, Yahoo News added.
