At YouTube, we believe that kids can discover new interests
and learn about the world when they explore through online video.
That’s why we're doing more to help creators understand
how to make enriching and engaging videos for kids and families.
As part of our ongoing efforts, we’ve developed a set of quality principles
to help guide YouTube’s kids and family creators.
These principles were developed
in collaboration with child development specialists
and are based on extensive research
on children’s media, digital learning, and citizenship.
Going forward, these principles will impact
YouTube’s recommendation systems and monetization policies.
First, let’s walkthrough our high quality principles.
High quality content can come in all sorts of formats.
From toy play to instructional videos, and can cover a range of topics.
But it should generally include one or more of the following principles.
First, learning and inspiring curiosity.
This includes content that promotes critical thinking for kids
and encourages discovery and exploration of the world.
Some examples include activities like DIY science experiments
or nature scavenger hunts, or even learning fun facts about your favorite toy
or demonstrating how to reach the next level in a video game.
It can also include teaching subjects like math or science in a kid-friendly way
with sing-alongs or rhyming.
Next, creativity, play, and a sense of imagination.
This includes content that is thought-provoking or imaginative.
It may also encourage kids to create, make, and engage
with something in a meaningful way.
Examples include showcasing soccer tricks, creative activities like arts and crafts
or a family creating an imaginary world in their backyard.
Another high quality principle is interaction with real world issues.
This includes content that depicts life lessons and strong characters
or encourages building social-emotional skills
problem-solving, or independent thinking.
It often includes a complete narrative
like character development and plot, and a clear takeaway or lesson.
Next, being a good person.
By showcasing traits such as honesty, respect, kindness
and caring for the common good, quality content can inspire young viewers
and leave a lasting impact.
It’s important that content models positive behaviors
such as sharing, or being a good friend.
Some examples include characters working together to solve a problem
or creating a song about healthy habits.
While creating, ask yourself
what behaviors or role models are you showcasing for kids?
And finally, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This content celebrates and encourages representation
and participation of diverse perspectives and groups of people.
This includes content representing a range of ages
genders, races, religions, and sexual orientations.
It also advocates for equal treatment of those differences.
Examples include content that discusses the benefits of diversity and inclusion
or depicts stories and characters where these themes are demonstrated.
Now, let’s walkthrough our low quality principles
to help you avoid making low quality content.
This includes content that is heavily commercial or promotional.
For example, content that is primarily focused on purchasing products
or promoting brands and logos such as toys and food.
It also includes content that is focused on excessive consumerism, like shopping hauls.
Next, content that encourages negative behaviors
or attitudes is also considered low quality.
This includes content that encourages dangerous activities
wastefulness, bullying, dishonesty, or a lack of respect for others
like dangerous or unkind pranks, disobeying rules, or unhealthy eating habits.
Next, content that is deceptively educational.
This is content that claims to have educational value in its title or thumbnail
but actually, lacks guidance or explanation
or is not relevant to children.
For example, titles or thumbnails that promise to help viewers learn colors
or learn numbers, but instead features mindless, repetitive content
or inaccurate information.
You should also avoid content that hinders comprehension.
This includes content that is thoughtless
lacks a cohesive narrative
or is incomprehensible
such as having shaky visuals, or inaudible audio.
These traits are often the result of mass production
or auto-generation, and are considered low quality.
Next, content that is sensational or misleading.
Content that is untrue, exaggerated, bizarre, or opinion-based
and therefore, may confuse young audiences, fall into this category.
This also includes keyword stuffing
or the practice of using popular keywords of interest to children
in a repetitive, altered, exaggerated, or nonsensical way.
And finally, strange use of children’s characters.
This low quality principle
includes content that puts popular children’s characters
animated or live action, in inappropriate situations.
Note, that if your channel is focused on one of these low quality principles
it can have real consequences for your channel.
Going forward, these principles will have an impact
not only on recommendations in YouTube Kids inclusion
but also, in monetization and eligibility
for the YouTube Partner Program.
We hope these principles give you a better idea
of what may be considered high or low-quality content
for kids and families on YouTube.
Note that these principles aren’t exhaustive
and that they supplement our community guidelines
which help provide a safe viewing experience for everyone.
Remember to follow our community guidelines on all content you create.
Remember, these principles should help guide you
in terms of how you might make quality content for kids and families.
But there’s another question that’s just as important
and that’s: why are you making this content?
Maybe, you want to make learning math fun
or you want to provide hilarious, wholesome experiences for families to enjoy.
It’s important that you as a creator, know the impact your content can have
and what takeaways you want to impress upon your audience.
We are continually committed to raising high quality kids and family content
in our recommendations
and we’ll continue to re-evaluate and update these principles.
To learn more about best practices for kids and family content
go to the YouTube Help Center article linked in the description.
Thanks for watching.