YouTube adds parental controls to restrict or block Shorts feed for teen users

YouTube said it is rolling out a major update to its parental control tools that will allow parents to restrict or completely disable access to the platform’s Shorts feed for teenage users, as scrutiny grows over the addictive nature of short-form video content.

In a blog post on January 14, the company said parents of supervised accounts will be able to set a dedicated “Shorts Feed Limit,” allowing them to cap daily consumption anywhere between two hours and zero minutes. Selecting the zero-minute option effectively removes the Shorts feed from the teen’s interface, enabling parents to block access during school hours or bedtime.

The move is aimed at addressing concerns around compulsive screen-time habits and the impact of infinite-scroll video formats on younger users.  

Expanded supervision and wellbeing tools

Alongside the Shorts restriction, YouTube is expanding its broader digital wellbeing controls. Parents will now be able to configure customisable “bedtime reminders” and “take a break” alerts based on a child’s daily routine.

The platform is also introducing a new sign-up flow and an improved account-switching mechanism for households that share devices, making it easier to switch between adult and supervised teen profiles on smartphones and tablets.

Algorithm changes for younger audiences

YouTube said it will also refine its recommendation engine for younger users, prioritising content that promotes learning, creativity and emotional wellbeing. The company said it will push more videos from educational and enrichment-focused channels such as Khan Academy, CrashCourse and TED-Ed.

The update strengthens existing safeguards designed to prevent “unhealthy content loops,” limiting the repeated recommendation of videos that promote unrealistic body standards or other potentially harmful trends.

These measures build on YouTube’s AI-driven age estimation system introduced in 2025, which applies under-18 protections even when an account has been registered with an adult birthdate. 

Regulatory backdrop

The changes come as regulators and child advocacy groups globally intensify scrutiny of social media platforms over the psychological effects of infinite-scroll designs — often referred to by Gen Z as “doom scrolling.”

By allowing parents to completely block specific content formats, YouTube is positioning the update as an industry-first step in parental control.

The new features are expected to roll out under the “Shorts Feed Limit” section of YouTube’s parental settings menu over the coming weeks.