YouTube for Kids detailed: here's why it's necessary

By Chris Burns/Updated: Feb. 24, 2015 3:07 pm EST

This week we're hearing – again – that Google will be releasing a YouTube app made specifically for children. As YouTube is the primary app for video content from the web on Android – and is used by most iPhone users for video content on the web as well – it makes perfect sense that a child-friendly option, YouTube for Kids, would be made available. Why, you say? Why, you might ask as a person who does not have children playing with smart devices every single day of the year?UPDATE: Have a peek at our full YouTube Kids review now!

This YouTube for Kids app will have limited search capabilities. You wont be able to search for curse words. You won't be able to see search results for words that'd otherwise lead to content that's rated 18+. It's going to be a sort of "safe zone", as it were.

For parents who (against their own better judgement, even though they said they'd NEVER let their kid zone out to videos on a tiny screen*), let their kids watch videos at restaurants (with the volume turned off). For parents who let their kids watch videos in the car. For parents who let their kids watch videos on an airplane.

* Guilty as charged.

That's who this app will be for.

The following video demonstrates – in simple terms – why this app is necessary:

Not that there aren't safe alternatives out there in the wild. The HTC One M8 I'm using right now has a phone-wide kid-safe mode that dis-allows access to anything inappropriate for children.

But supposing Google wanted to be a part of that action at the source – there's YouTube for Kids. It's coming your way. It's coming your way soon.

Google is expected to release the YouTube for Kids app on Monday. That's the 23rd of February, 2015. Then it'll be available for Android – and we're not sure yet when the iOS version will be released, but it'll likely be soon.

Below you'll see a short history of the times Google suggested – or was rumored to suggest – that they were getting in to the Kids-safe YouTube zone. It's all happening!